DES PLAINES – Area residents who wish to learn more about how to appeal their property tax bill are invited to a town hall meeting Monday evening, May 6^th, in Park Ridge.

State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) will host the discussion at the Park Ridge Public Library, at 20 South Prospect Avenue.

Maine Township Assessor Susan Moylan Krey and the Cook County Assessor’s Office will be in attendance to help answer any questions. Residents should bring their property tax bill, paperwork from any appraisal performed in the past 18 months and a closing statement if the house was purchased within the last year.

“Not many people know how the appeal process works,” Murphy said. “This town hall offers residents a chance to learn how to file a successful tax appeal and ask specific questions regarding their circumstance.”

DES PLAINES – Area residents who wish to learn more about how to appeal their property tax bill are invited to a town hall meeting Monday evening, April 29^th, in Arlington Heights.

State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) will host the discussion at the Elk Grove Township Building, at 2400 South Arlington Heights Road.

Elk Grove Township Assessor Connie Carosielli and Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison will be in attendance to help answer any questions. Residents should bring their property tax bill, paperwork from any appraisal performed in the past 18 months and a closing statement if the house was purchased within the last year.

“Not many people know how the appeal process works,” Murphy said. “This town hall offers residents a chance to learn how to file a successful tax appeal and ask specific questions regarding their circumstance.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure that passed out of the Senate today will add an extra protection for victims of domestic violence, thanks to Des Plaines Democrat State Senator Laura Murphy.

Senate Bill 399 would allow an address to be omitted from documents filed in court if disclosing the address would risk abuse or harm. The victim would also be protected from having to include a domestic violence safe house address or an address that was changed as a result of a protective order.

“It’s already hard enough for victims to take that first step and get out of their situation,” Murphy said. “They shouldn’t have to live in fear after being brave enough to get away because of the possibility of their address being released by a legal official.”

Murphy’s measure is in response to an incident where the judge included the address of the domestic violence safe house in a court order between the abuser and the victim regarding custody over their child.

Senate Bill 399 passed the Senate with unanimous bipartisan support and now moves to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) advanced legislation today that would allow investigations of alleged sexual harassment in local government to fall under the authority of the Executive Inspector General.

Sexual harassment allegations are extremely serious. When it was discovered that there was a loop hole and local elected officials were not protected under any current sexual harassment laws, it was concerning.

Murphy’s measure gives the Executive Ethics Commission and the Executive Inspector General jurisdiction over sexual harassment allegations at the local government level and the authority to investigate these charges.

“There have been multiple examples of sexual harassment at the local level,” Murphy said. “Letting the Executive Inspector General have the ability to investigate these allegations will help tremendously by allowing these investigations to be done properly.”

Senate Bill 1223 passed the Illinois State Senate with bipartisan support and now moves to the House for consideration.