Pulaski County has received a tentative property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000 for the 2025 tax year, according to David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). The equalization factor, also known as the multiplier, is used to ensure uniform property assessments across counties in Illinois. This process is important because many local taxing districts, such as school and fire protection districts, cross county lines.
State law requires that most property in Illinois be assessed at one-third of its market value. Farm properties are assessed differently: homesites and dwellings follow regular procedures, while farmland and farm buildings are valued based on productivity standards.
The annual equalization factor for each county is determined by comparing the sales prices of properties sold over the past three years with their assessed values. If the average level of assessment matches one-third of market value, the multiplier is set at 1.0000. A higher average results in a lower multiplier; a lower average leads to a higher multiplier.
For Pulaski County, assessments were found to be at 33.33% of market value based on sales from 2022 through 2024. The current tentative multiplier applies to taxes payable in 2026 and matches last year’s figure of 1.0000.
The tentative factor may change if the County Board of Review makes significant adjustments or if new data is presented showing IDOR’s estimates should be revised. A public hearing will take place between 20 and 30 days after publication of the tentative multiplier in a local newspaper.
David Harris stated: “The property assessment equalization factor, often called the ‘multiplier,’ is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g., school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there was no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.”
He added: “A change in the equalization factor does not mean total property tax bills will increase or decrease. Tax bills are determined by local taxing bodies when they request money each year to provide services to local citizens. If the amount requested by local taxing districts is not greater than the amount received in the previous year, then total property taxes will not increase even if assessments may have increased.”
Harris also explained: “The assessed value of an individual property determines what portion of the tax burden a specific taxpayer will assume. That individual’s portion of tax responsibility is not changed by the multiplier.”
IDOR works within state taxation and revenue management and oversees state tax collection while providing reliable financial information (official website). The agency also promotes diversity and equity for both employees and customers (official site).
