Double withdrawals of property tax payments were result of 'human error,' Lake County treasurer says
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After many homeowners in Lake County, Illinois, double paid their property taxes the treasurer says the extra charges were due to human error.
Instead of making one payment, families with auto pay from a checking account got hit with two withdrawals.
CBS 2 heard from one concerned homeowner, and others posted on the treasurer's Facebook page.
The CBS 2 discovered that the same thing happened back in 2020, and that time Treasurer Holly Kim wrote, "We have taken steps to ensure this issue does not arrise again."
So CBS 2's Tim McNicholas asked the treasurer about that pledge.
McNicholas: Why didn't that happen? Why wasn't there something found to make sure this didn't happen again?
Kim: "So that time it was a coding glitch because it didn't separate it into one-fourth of a payment. THis one's different because it's human error.
McNicholas: Some people are wondering, is this going to happen a third time now? What would your message be to folks who have that question?
Kim: I don't want that to happen either. We take this very seriously. I am actually very disappointed this happened even a second time, but, like I told you, two different variables. So with the changes we made in not only manual but retraining staff, which has happened already, one of the things I'm looking into is how this could be a more automated process to maybe have less human error involved.
Treasurer Kim says the error affected about 3,000 taxpayers and believes all the overpayments have been returned. Anyone hit with overdraft or other fees should contact her office for help.
