Modernizing Wheel Tax Collection and Enforcement

About the Program

Category: Financial Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

On December 30, 1971 Cook County enacted a Wheel Tax Ordinance which required residents of Cook County to purchase and display a decal or tag on each vehicle registered in unincorporated areas of the County. For nearly 50 years the process of collecting this tax by the Cook County Department of Revenue remained unchanged aside from rate changes.As time passed and technology advanced, it became clear that the administration of Wheel Tax administration had stagnated. In December 2016, members of the Debt and Vehicle Compliance team within Revenue began researching contemporary practices that could be implemented to modernize Wheel Tax administration. Through their efforts, the Cook County Sticker-less Wheel Tax Program was developed and rolled out to the public on July 1, 2019.The modernization of Wheel Tax collection has allowed for improvements in taxpayer assistance, projected revenue collection and reasonable enforcement guidelines, all executed in an efficient timeframe. The Sticker-less Wheel Tax Program is primarily handled by Revenue, whereas in the past local township offices acted as third-party information, sales and collection entities along with Revenue. Direct contact between the department and the residents of Cook County has diminished errors due to miscommunications, eased payment processing concerns and increased overall revenue collection.