The Illinois Federation of Teachers has filed a lawsuit against Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas seeking to compel her office to expedite the mailing of property tax bills and ensure timely compensation to local school districts. The suit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, represents an estimated 50,000 union members, including those from the Chicago Teachers Union and various suburban affiliates. It aims to address delays that have disrupted revenue flows critical to funding public education.

The ongoing delays stem from a multiyear overhaul of Cook County’s property tax system, which has caused significant backlog and reconciliation challenges. The county’s efforts to correct these issues involve coordination among multiple offices and the county’s lead contractor, Tyler Technologies. These technical and administrative difficulties have delayed the dispatch of tax bills, which typically are sent out by July 1 with payments due by early August.

Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon is responsible for establishing tax rates as a prerequisite to the treasurer’s office issuing bills. Treasurer Pappas has emphasized that her office cannot proceed with mailing until the Clerk’s office completes its tasks. Furthermore, Pappas’ team must reconcile prior overpayments and underpayments before releasing funds to taxing districts.

While the treasurer’s office declined direct comment on the lawsuit, it indicated a plan to distribute a portion of the money owed to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) this week. The CPS has stated it requires $85 million to avoid furlough days, and estimates it has incurred at least $40 million in interest expenses due to borrowing amidst the unsettled tax revenues. The treasurer’s office reported withholding approximately $400 million from the previous tax cycle pending reconciliation, though it estimates the amount owed to CPS from the March taxes to be between $70 million and $80 million—significantly lower than the school district’s assessment of $250 million.

The lawsuit requests not only immediate payment of collected revenues but also demands that the treasurer’s office prepare and mail the second round of tax bills without further delay. It also calls for compensation to taxing districts that have incurred additional expenses as a result of the delays. Stacy Davis Gates, president of both the Chicago Teachers Union and the Illinois Federation of Teachers, criticized Pappas for allegedly withholding funds crucial to school funding and called for government officials to fulfill their responsibilities.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has opened a loan program to assist smaller taxing districts during the shortfall period and indicated a willingness to extend such support to CPS if funding remains available. Preckwinkle’s office described its goal as ensuring that taxing bodies have access to interim financing while awaiting tax revenues.

Legal representatives for the unions contend that statutory deadlines on the distribution of tax revenues give the treasurer limited discretion, and that the delays have tangible negative effects on education funding and services. The dispute highlights the complexities of interagency coordination in managing county-wide tax systems and the fiscal challenges faced by local school districts as they navigate funding shortfalls ahead of the new academic year.