In Kane County, Illinois, property taxes fund essential services like public schools, police and fire departments, libraries, park districts, and local government operations, services that benefit everyone.
A Brief History of Property Taxes
Property taxes are one of the oldest forms of taxation in the United States, dating back to 1634 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where they helped fund roads and schools. By the late 1700s, all 13 colonies had adopted some form of property tax.
In Illinois, property taxation has been part of state law since it achieved statehood in 1818. The modern system took shape with the Revenue Act of 1853, which standardized assessments. The Illinois Constitution of 1870 solidified the framework, and the Property Tax Code of 1939 still governs assessments and collections today.
