Illinois Statutes Chapter 70. Special Districts § 605/5-29. Rebate and Abatement of Excess Assessment--Landowners' Petition

§ 5-29. Rebate and Abatement of Excess Assessment--Landowners' Petition. When any landowner has requested the commissioners to initiate proceedings to rebate, or to rebate and abate, a portion of an assessment under Section 5-28 and the commissioners have failed or refused to initiate such proceedings then the court may, if petitioned to do so by at least 10 per cent of the adult landowners in the district, order the rebate, or rebate and abatement, of that portion of the assessment not required for the general purposes of the district.

When a landowners' petition seeking the rebate, or rebate and abatement, of the excess or a portion of the excess of an assessment has been filed with the clerk of the court the petition shall be presented to the court and set for hearing by the court. Notice of the filing of the petition and the hearing thereon shall be given by the clerk of the court to the commissioners in the manner and for the length of time directed by the court. Notice shall also be given by the clerk of the court to the other landowners in the district in substantially the form provided in Section 4-21, and in the manner and for the length of time provided in Section 4-22.

Any person interested may appear at the hearing and show cause why the prayer of the petition should or should not be granted. If the court finds from the evidence that the remaining uncollected balance of the assessment, if any, and the funds on hand or otherwise available are in excess of the outstanding indebtedness of the district and that no obligation of any contract will be impaired, the court may order the rebate, or rebate and abatement, of that portion of the assessment not required for the general purposes of the district, provided that no assessment or installment against which there is a valid lien shall be abated without the consent of the holder or holders of such lien.