Thousands of Cook County Homeowners Await $186M in Property Tax Refunds

Computer system upgrade delays leave taxpayers waiting for refunds owed by the county

Mar. 31, 2026 at 11:07pm

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Thousands of Cook County property owners are waiting on nearly $200 million in property tax refunds due to a computer system upgrade by a private company hired by the county. The delays have left homeowners like Sherry Schnell and Jim Duhr waiting months for refunds owed to them due to assessment errors. County leaders and the private company, Tyler Technologies, are blaming each other for the holdup in processing the refunds.

Why it matters

The prolonged delays in issuing these property tax refunds are causing significant financial hardship for thousands of Cook County residents who are owed money by the local government. The inability to resolve this issue in a timely manner raises questions about the county's competence in managing its property tax system and the oversight of its private technology vendor.

The details

Cook County has blamed a computer system upgrade by Tyler Technologies, a private company hired by the county, for the delays in processing $186 million in property tax refunds owed to 83,000 taxpayers. The refunds are owed due to assessment errors made by the Cook County Assessor's Office. While the computer issues were resolved to send out property tax bills, the refund process remains stalled. County Treasurer Maria Pappas has criticized Tyler Technologies for the delays, while the company has blamed the county for not providing the necessary data. The county has paid Tyler more than $30 million over the past decade for its property tax system contract.

  • The refunds have been delayed since May 2025.
  • In February 2026, Tyler Technologies claimed its team has faced bullying and threats from Treasurer Pappas.

The players

Sherry Schnell

A Cook County homeowner waiting on a $10,000 refund for a square footage error.

Jim Duhr

A homeowner in unincorporated Elgin waiting on a $17,000 refund after repeated mistakes to his vacant land classification.

Tyler Technologies

The private company hired by Cook County to upgrade its property tax computer system, which has been blamed for the delays in processing refunds.

Maria Pappas

The Cook County Treasurer who has criticized Tyler Technologies for the delays and incompetence in resolving the refund issues.

Toni Preckwinkle

The Cook County Board President who has said her office has been holding Tyler Technologies and other county offices accountable for the refund delays.

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What they’re saying

“I can't believe that it would take this long. I wonder if I will ever get the money.”

— Sherry Schnell, Cook County Homeowner

“I feel like I am living in the movie 'Groundhog Day.' Nothing is getting fixed.”

— Jim Duhr, Cook County Homeowner

“If I was in charge, I think I would just fire everybody and start over.”

— Jim Duhr, Cook County Homeowner

“I am like a man killing snakes without a stick. And this company is incompetent when it comes to being able to deliver.”

— Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer

“Well, you know what? They don't want to talk to anybody who tells them the truth.”

— Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer

What’s next

County Treasurer Maria Pappas says she expects most of the outstanding refunds to be distributed to taxpayers within a week or so, after working directly with Chase bank to bypass the delays caused by Tyler Technologies.

The takeaway

This case highlights the significant impact that technology failures and bureaucratic dysfunction can have on taxpayers, with thousands of Cook County residents waiting months to receive refunds owed to them. It raises questions about the county's oversight of its private vendors and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the property tax system.