May. 18.

20 16 9:30AM

No. 1978

P. 2

OFFICE OF THE SrAn's ArroRNEY

~~~~~...

April21, 2016
Alan Zielinski
Grafton Township Assessor
10109 Vine Street, Unit C
Huntley, IL 60142
Dear Mr. Zielinski
Pursuant to statute, the duty of the State's Attorney' Office ''shall be to commence and
prosecute all actions, suits, indictments, and prosecutions, civil and criminal, in the circuit court
for his county, in which the people of the State or county may be concerned."
Accordingly, the primary question is whether the infonnation you have provided serves or
could serve as a basis for a "civil or criminal" action "in which the people of the State or county
may be concerned." While baseless or politically-motivated property tax adjustments by the
Office of Assessments or Board of Review would be of concern to the people ofthis County, after
review of your document, relevant law, and in-depth discussions with the Office of Assessments,
we do not believe the infotmation you provide would support a viable cause of action.
As you are no doubt aware, the Board of Review of McHenry County Office of
Assessments is imparted with broad discretion to revise assessments:
At [its] meeting, the board of review upOn application of any taxpayer or upon its
own motion may revise the entire assessment of any taxpayer or any part of I he
assessment as appears to ir to be just.

35 ILCS 200/16-30
Fwther,
The board may also, at any time before its revision of the assessments is
completed in eve1y year, increase, reduce, or otherwise adjust the assessment of
any property, making changes in the valuation as may be just, and shall have full
power over the assessment of any person and may do anything in regard thereto
that it may deem necessary to make a just assessment.

35 ILCS 200/16-55
Based on the information you have subm1tted, the adJUStments made by the Office of
Assessments and the Board of Review are not so unfounded as to render them "unjust." As such,
we are not satisfied that adequate grounds exist to conclude or even suspect that the Office of
Assessments or Board of Review violated the law.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. If I can be of any further assistance,
please do not hesitate to contact me.

2200 NoRTH SEMINARY AVENUE WooDsTocK, ILuNors 60098

815334P59 (phone) 8153370872 (fax)

McHENRY CouNTY GoVERNMENT CENTER

May. 18.201 6 9:30AM

Sincerely,

Patrick Kenneally
Assistant State's Attorney

No. 1978

P. 3

May. 18.201 6 9:29AM

No. 1978

P. 1

OFFICE oFrHH STATE's ATTORNEY

May 18,201 6

Date

FACSIMILE TRANSMITTAL SHEET

TO:

Joseph Gottemoller

FAX#:

FROM:

BY:

(815) 459-0290
McHenry County State's Attorney- Civil Division
Mary Ellen Sullivan for Patrick Kenneall~
2200 North Seminary Avenue
Woodstock, IL 60098
(815) 334~4159/FAX (815) 334-4673

This transmission consists of :i pages (including this cover sheet)

Adilition~Infonnation:.

________________________________________

The information contained in this facsimile message is attorney privileged and

confidential information intended only for the use of the individual or entity named
above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or
agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that
any dissemination, distribution or copying of tills communication is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this communication in ertor, please immediately notify us by

telephone and return the original message to us at the above address via the US Postal
Service. Thank you.

McHEN'RY CoUNTY GoV'l!RNM.I!NT CENTER

2200 NoRTH SliMtNAJtY AvENUE

81533441 59 (phone) 815337o872 .(f,.x)

W ooDSTOCK, IwNot s

60098