This Illinois woman’s property tax is poised to jump from $756 to over $10,000 — a shocking 1,222% spike

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Landowners in Montgomery County, Illinois are grappling with a dramatic spike in property taxes after having their bills reassessed.

Brandi Lentz told 5 On Your Side she paid $756 in property taxes last year on a 96-acre tract of woodland in Montgomery County. Next year, she has confirmation that her property tax bill will be more than $10,000 — a shocking 1,222% increase — and she's not alone.

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“People are going to lose their property,” said former Montgomery Co. Finance Chair Megan Beeler in her interview with 5 On Your Side. “When you’re looking at a 1,500% increase, a 3,000% increase on property, we’re not going to have the ability to maintain and pay the taxes.”

What caused the sudden increase?

The increase in property taxes stems from a 2007 state law requiring woodland tracts to be taxed like homes, according to Montgomery County Assessor Kendra Niehaus. Up until this year, the law wasn't correctly implemented in Montgomery County. As a result, woodland properties are now taxed at 33.33% of their market value.