Each year, homeowners watch their tax bills go up despite a lower home assessment, and they want to know why. That’s where Uwe Rotter comes in.

He is the Blackberry Township assessor who, for three out of the five years he’s held the position, has held taxpayer workshops every month of the year.

“Other townships may have workshops around tax time, but I feel it’s important to provide residents with this opportunity year-round because we have transient neighborhoods,” Rotter said. “New people move into the area and are not aware of the Illinois taxpayer system.”