Latest news with #BoardofReview
Politico
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Endorsement drama bubbles up
TGIF, Illinois. Enjoy the weekend. TOP TALKER IN THE HOUSE: Lieutenant governor candidate Christian Mitchell will stand before Cook County Democratic Party leaders today, making the case for Gov. JB Pritzker to be endorsed for a third term. Pritzker has a family commitment and can't attend. The spotlight will then turn to presentations by the U.S. Senate candidates before party leaders make their endorsement decisions. Today's line-up will also see pitches by state Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and state Treasurer Mike Frerichs. Since Comptroller Susana Mendoza isn't seeking re-election, Democratic candidates expected to step up include state Sen. Karina Villa, state Rep. Margaret Croke and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim. The stakes are high, as an endorsement comes with cache and on-the-ground campaigners. Also on today's agenda will be a vote on the Cook County assessor's race. Two-term incumbent Fritz Kaegi failed to secure the slating committee's endorsement for a third term Thursday. A coalition of Black committee members opposed him, while others abstained. The party decided to hold off voting until today's full meeting, setting the stage for a potential open primary. Kaegi's outspoken challengers include Board of Review officials Dana Pointer and Timnetra Burruss, who accuse him of botching assessments and burdening property owners, and Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes, who drew applause from some Democrats in the room before he pledged more accurate data collection. Thursday's other key moments: County Board President Toni Preckwinkle sailed through unopposed to secure the Democratic Party committee's recommendation for a fifth term. Maybe it helps that she also heads the committee. Preckwinkle still could be primaried by Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly and former state Sen. Rickey Hendon, who attended Thursday's meeting. In the Board of Review contest, first-term Commissioner Samantha Steele failed to secure party endorsement and now faces a primary from candidates Liz Nicholson and Vincent Pace, who didn't get endorsed either. It was a thumbs up from the party for George Cardenas, who's running in a separate Board of Review race. Also getting endorsed: Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Clerk Monica Gordon and Sheriff Tom Dart. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Giannoulias is out with his reelection launch video. 'We've accomplished a significant amount in a short time,' he said in a statement about his two-and-a-half years in office. 'I intend to continue to modernize the office, create efficiencies and prioritize and fight for what's most important to Illinoisans.' Watch it here. Digging in deeper ... Cook County Democrats hold off endorsement decision for assessor, don't back Board of Review incumbent, by the Tribune's A.D. Quig and Rick Pearson Party mostly sticks with incumbents on primary slate — but Assessor Fritz Kaegi is in limbo, by the Sun-Times' Mitchell Armentrout THE BUZZ NEXT CHAPTER: After nearly a decade of steering Equality Illinois through landmark civil rights progress, Brian Johnson is pivoting from LGBTQ+ advocacy to addressing America's economic disparity. Imagine that: On Sept. 15, Johnson will launch the Reimagining Capitalism Lab, a research and policy hub incubated by the Chicago Federation of Labor's Workforce and Community Initiative. The goal is to confront 'inequality like we haven't seen in over a century,' Johnson said during a Playbook interview Thursday night at the Hideout. 'If you care about working families, immigrants, queer folks, the environment — none of that gets better without economic justice,' Johnson said. 'We're seeing skyrocketing inequality, and with that comes crumbling trust in institutions, lower voter turnout and less faith in democracy itself.' He wrote the book: Johnson, who also authored 'Our Fair Share' in 2021, has long connected economic inequity to broader social struggles. The new initiative is rooted in the belief that rebuilding faith in democracy starts with fixing the imbalance of wealth and opportunity. In other words, more people will vote if they trust the system to help them. Sounds familiar: Johnson plans to apply the same grassroots organizing efforts he brought to Equality Illinois to the new Reimagining Capitalism Lab. Its four-part structure includes statewide community listening sessions, targeted interviews with civic and business leaders, deep-dive policy research and leadership education. 'This isn't just about theory — it's about translating lived experiences into bold, actionable ideas,' Johnson said, adding he'll take listening sessions to homes, classrooms and churches. He cites stark stats: While CEOs earned 20 to 30 times more than their lowest-paid employees in the 1960s, today that ratio is closer to 400-to-1, Johnson said. And the top 1 percent of earners now hold more than double the wealth of the bottom 90 percent. 'That flip in wealth distribution is fueling disillusionment — and it's unsustainable,' he said. If you are Tom Dart, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB No official public events WHERE's BRANDON At Chicago and Lorel avenues at 4 p.m. to attend the Take Back the Block activation Where's Toni At IBEW local headquarters at 9 a.m. for slating Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — State Sen. Donald DeWitte, a Republican from St. Charles, announced Thursday that he won't seek reelection. 'This has not been an easy decision,' DeWitte said in a statement. 'Serving the people of the 33rd Senate District and previously as the mayor of St. Charles have been among the greatest honors of my life.' DeWitte is the minority spokesman for the powerful Senate Revenue and Senate Transportation committees. When he wraps up his term, he will have been in office 35 years. — State Rep. Bob Morgan is running for reelection in his suburban 58th District: 'I know that if we all head towards a better future where we invest in our schools, build the economy that works for working people, and protect equality under the law, we will extinguish the flames of hate, division, and violence,' Morgan, a Democrat, said in announcing his reelection bid. — Endorsements: Adam Braun, who's running for the open 13th District state representative seat, has been endorsed by Atty Gen. Kwame Raoul and former Ald. and community leader Ameya Pawar, according to Braun's campaign. He's running for the seat now held by state Rep. Hoan Huynh, who's running for Congress. — Diana García, who's running for the Democratic committeeperson position now held by Cicero's Larry Dominick, has been endorsed by former Congressman Luis Gutierrez. THE STATEWIDES — Leaders say they have a plan for downtown Springfield, business owners say it's not enough, by the State Journal-Register's Claire Grant — 23 Central Illinois nursing homes, care facilities fined by IDPH, by WCIA's Bradley Zimmerman CHICAGO — City Council members pushing to legalize video gambling — at Chicago airports or even citywide: 'Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has argued the potential jackpot from lifting the Chicago ban on video gambling would be so meager that it's not worth pursuing,' by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — City Inspector General Deborah Witzburg to leave post after one term: 'She made the announcement days after the city amended its ethics ordinance to ensure the 'independence and effectiveness of the investigative work' done by her office,' by WTTW's Matt Masterson. — Mayor Brandon Johnson talks affordable housing, funding CPS, transportation, via WBEZ's The Reset — ANALYSIS | City Council upheld the mayor's 'snap' curfew veto: Had the measure been approved, it 'would have been inconsistent with the powers granted to top cops in other large U.S. cities,' by the BGA's Sophia Van Pelt. — Retiring Walter Burnett says his 'son of the 27th Ward' has earned the right to take his City Council seat, by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman — Chicago arts organizations press on despite 'gut punch' federal cuts, by the Tribune's Tess Kenny TAKING NAMES — Sarah Kerley, statewide chief administrative officer with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, has been awarded the 2025 Eugene H. Rooney Jr. Award for Leadership in State Human Resource Management by the National Association of State Personnel Executives. — Jim Oberweis, the former Illinois lawmaker who is now running for Congress in Florida, is beefing up his campaign with cash. SPOTTED — Roseanna Ander and her partner, Greg Sonbuchner, hosted a dinner party at their Gold Coast home Wednesday to celebrate the fifth cohort of the University of Chicago's Policing Leadership Academy. Ander is helping lead the charge of the academy in her role as founding executive director of the U. of C. Chicago Crime Lab along with her colleague Meredith Stricker who is the executive director of the academy. Like the crime lab, the academy is working to reduce gun violence by improving police leadership in neighborhoods with high homicide rates. Attendees included World Business Chicago CEO Phil Clement, Clayco Chief Growth Officer Michael Fassnacht, the Pritzker Pucker Foundation's Julie Rubins Wilen, former Chicago Police Superintendent Charlie Beck, ATF Special Agent Chris Amon, real estate developer Jeff Shapack, nonprofit leader Lisa Wiersma, Cook County Sheriff's Office Director Roe Conn and restaurateur RJ Melman, who has donated meals to participants of the academy. Reader Digest We asked which politicians' comments you'd like to see in a group chat text chain. Christopher Deutsch: 'Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump. Oh wait, been there, done that.' Nick Daggers: 'I'd like to see Rahm's texts with anyone, but I'd be worried if Siri read them aloud while my kids were in the car.' Ashvin Lad: 'Rahm Emanuel and JB Pritzker.' NEXT QUESTION: If a Marvel superhero ran for office, who would be the best president? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Trump will sue the WSJ, directs Bondi to unseal Epstein material, by POLITICO's Irie Sentner — Getting up to speed on the Trump, Epstein, WSJ drama, by national Playbook's Adam Wren and Dasha Burns — ICE will get access to Medicaid enrollees' personal information to identify people it believes are in the country unlawfully, via NBC News — CBS cancels Stephen Colbert's show days after Trump settlement criticism, by POLITICO's Yurii Stasiuk — RFK Jr. wants artificial dyes out — but Chicago candy makers aren't biting, by Judith Crown for Crain's TRANSITIONS — Sam A. Harton has been promoted to senior attorney at Romanucci & Blandin, a national personal injury firm primarily based in Chicago. — Michael Owen is now senior counsel in Dykema law firm's corporate finance group in Chicago. He was a partner at Gozdecki Del Giudice. EVENTS — Tonight: A joint fundraiser will benefit Republicans Jennifer Davis, who's running for the open IL-08 seat, and Gabriella Hoxie, who's running for Cook County Commission in the 15th District. Details here — Tuesday: Democratic state Rep. Kim du Buclet will be feted at a fundraiser. Details here TRIVIA THURSDAY's ANSWER: The Chicago Board of Health was created in response to a cholera epidemic when Chicago became a mustering point for troops during the Black Hawk War. TODAY's QUESTION: What was the first professional sports team to play a game in Illinois? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Today: SEIU Healthcare VP Myra Glassman, K&L Gates associate Berto Aguayo, IIT comms director Howard J. Lee and CRL Strategies Principal Consultant Christie Lacey Saturday: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Cook County Judge Fredrick Bates, former U.S. Attorney Ron Safer, lieutenant governor's chief strategist Charles Watkins, Advocate Aurora Health Government Relations VP Crystal Olsen and Illinois Channel Executive Director Terry Martin Sunday: Jeffries exec and former Deputy Gov. Dan Hynes, AIPAC regional director David Fox, UIC sociology professor Barbara Risman and Illinois Optometric Association CEO Leigh Ann Vanausdoll -30-
Chicago Tribune
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Cook County tax board commissioner, staff face multiple fines from ethics board
Cook County's ethics board fined Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele and aides for a series of breaches this week, finding that she provided confidential information to the press about the Chicago Bears' Arlington Heights property and wrongly allowed a staffer to attend a conference on county time. A top Steele aide was separately fined for attending Cubs games and traveling for personal trips on county time. Reached Friday, Steele said she 'absolutely disagreed' with the findings but declined to comment further. Steele is one of three commissioners on the county's Board of Review, which hears property tax appeals. She is currently running in the Democratic primary for county assessor. The county's board of ethics released three findings related to Steele's office this week. The highest-profile found that Steele had improperly shared appraisal information about the Chicago Bears' Arlington Heights property with the media three different times. She did so first in the middle of settlement negotiations in mid-2023, and then again later that year during an appeal. Steele had been warned by the county's general counsel afterwards that the board was prohibited from commenting on pending, confidential board matters, noting the property tax code required board members to 'remain fair and impartial and free from bias or influence,' and that confidence in the board would be eroded if the board's decision-making was perceived to be 'subject to inappropriate outside influences.' But Steele again commented for February 2024 stories about an appeal, triggering an email from the Bears' lawyer, who asked why the press was notified before the team. The board of ethics found Steele's comments to Crain's Chicago Business, NBC Chicago and the Tribune amounted to three violations of confidentiality code in the county's ethics ordinance and fined her $3,000, which she must pay in 30 days. Steele was arrested in 2024 for driving under the influence of alcohol after a car crash, but has been fighting the charge and is due back in court later this summer. She won back her right to drive after her attorney argued she wasn't given proper warning of the consequences of refusing a breathalyzer test. She was fined another $1,000 by the ethics board this week and her top aide, Dan Balanoff, $750 for permitting an employee to attend an unauthorized conference unrelated to his county duties on county time. That employee, Ryan McIntyre, was fined the equivalent of 16 hours of county pay after he improperly attended the 2023 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington D.C. McIntyre managed Steele's calendar, meetings, and outreach events. He told the ethics board he was 'told to go' to the conference with Steele in late 2023. After learning about the trip, BOR staff told Balanoff twice that McIntyre would need to use paid time off to go because the conference was 'political in nature and unrelated to McIntyre's County duties,' according to the board's ruling. Balanoff told them Steele pushed back and he went on to approve travel and lodging expenses. The board did not determine attendance was 'prohibited political activity,' but did conclude it was unrelated to his job at the county. Balanoff, they said, 'still approved and submitted' McIntyre's request for reimbursement, permitting him 'to misuse County property,' and failing to ask about the purpose of the conference or review any materials related to it. Steele, meanwhile, 'had even more of a duty' to meet the highest ethical standards as the head of the office, including getting preauthorization for attendance at conferences and training sessions. In the third finding, the ethics board concluded Balanoff, Steele's director of special projects, 'conducted dual employment' by doing legal work for his own firm and attended non-government activities — including two Cubs games — on county time on four separate occasions. Balanoff admitted to answering client calls and working on three real estate transactions during county hours, though he contended he did not have a set 9-to-5 schedule at the county. Balanoff posted pictures of himself at Wrigley Field and the nearby bar, Murphy's Bleachers, on social media on August 4, 2023, when the team played against the Braves, after clocking in at the county that morning. He posted on his Instagram from Wrigley again on April 1, 2024, the day of the Cubs season opener against the Rockies. According to the board, he used sick time to attend when he should have used vacation time, a violation of the county's attendance policy. Balanoff also joined a Board of Review meeting virtually in September 2023 while on a plane for a personal trip after clocking in that morning and not requesting time off. He said he had notified Steele of the travel. The board reported a similar incident in which Balanoff traveled for personal reasons without clocking out. The board separately found Balanoff took non-county calls during normal working hours. Balanoff tried to challenge the board's investigatory findings after he resigned on May 25, arguing the board didn't have jurisdiction anymore, that he did not knowingly violate the county's rules, and that his use of county resources was 'de minimus,' because they did not interfere with his county duties or impose extra taxpayer cost. The board said those arguments were 'unavailing,' that his behavior was 'troubling,' and that the comingling of the outside activities 'creates the appearance of impropriety' and misused taxpayer funds, but was not 'an indictment of Balanoff's performance of his County duties.' He was fined a total of $4,500 for various ethics provisions, which are due within 30 days. Balanoff on Friday said the ruling was a political attack by opponents to unionization within the office. 'We obviously don't agree with it, I'm going to appeal,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
09-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
George Cardenas: Property tax burden has shifted to homeowners, but businesses are still in distress
The recent report issued by Treasurer Maria Pappas presents just one part of the property tax assessment system in Cook County — the appeals process. While raising important points about regressivity, the report makes brief mention of the broader context, but for the rising property tax bills, that is where the focus needs to be. To begin with, the assertion that nearly $2 billion in property taxes has shifted from businesses to homeowners through the appeals process neglects the significant economic distress currently affecting commercial properties. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically devastated the valuation of commercial properties nationwide, particularly in downtown Chicago, resulting in unprecedented vacancies, reduced rental income and a general economic downturn for businesses. As anyone can see, downtown Chicago has dramatically changed during the last four years. There are fewer places to eat, many retail shops on Michigan Avenue and the Loop have closed, and workers have not fully returned. All the above absolutely had an impact on market valuation. As a point of fact, according to the Cook County assessor's office in January 2021: 'The adjustment process (the COVID-19 factor) for the City of Chicago started with an understanding of where current market values stand relative to recent sales. In a sales ratio study of 2018 estimated market values conducted by the International Association of Assessing Officers, many commercial properties were already under assessed when compared to 2018 market sales and therefore further decreases to reflect the effects of COVID-19 were not needed.' Thus, even though commercial properties in Chicago were dramatically impacted by COVID, the assessor's office provided little relief through the COVID factor. Decisions by the assessor's office, such as the ill-designed COVID-19 factor, necessitated careful consideration of the real value of property by the Board of Review. Upon appeal to the Board of Review in 2021, the resulting decreases from the assessor's office increases were justified to reflect actual market conditions. Moreover, the focus of discussion needs to be the other major contributors to property tax increases: the significant growth in property tax levies from various taxing bodies, most notably Chicago Public Schools. According to the Cook County clerk, CPS alone increased its property tax levy from 2014 to 2023 from $2.4 billion to $3.8 billion, respectively. By focusing on appeals, are we missing the primary drivers of property tax increases? Additionally, the disparities in appeal rates among neighborhoods highlighted by the treasurer's report largely stem from inequities in information access and education regarding the appeals process, rather than just the appeals mechanism itself. The Board of Review actively promotes homeowner education and conducts numerous outreach efforts, particularly aimed at underserved communities. Last year, the Cook County Board of Review's 1st District hosted 50 town halls, where the board accepted approximately 7,400 appeals. Pappas' office, as the issuer of tax bills, can assist in this essential role in addressing these disparities by proactively notifying homeowners of appeal opportunities in multiple languages already available through Cook County. The Cook County Board president commissioned a thorough study by Josh Myers Valuation Solutions, titled 'Analysis of Commercial Valuation Practice in the Cook County Property Tax System,' published in December. This comprehensive report recommended improvements including standardizing valuation methodologies, improving data sharing between the assessor and the Board of Review, and enhancing overall assessment accuracy and uniformity. These solutions directly address the core issues within our property tax system, unlike the treasurer's focus solely on appeals outcomes. Lastly, the report raises valid concerns about the regressive nature of the property tax system but offers no practical or comprehensive solutions. The Cook County Board of Review has consistently advocated for reforms to improve initial assessments and ensure equitable outcomes for all taxpayers. Real and lasting change will require collaboration across all county offices, including the treasurer's office, to enhance transparency, fairness and equity in the assessment and appeals processes. We invite Pappas and all relevant stakeholders to partner constructively with the Board of Review in developing and implementing comprehensive reforms that address the root causes of property tax regression and promote fairness for all Cook County residents.
CBS News
05-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Nearly $2 billion in Cook County property taxes shifted from businesses to low-income homeowners, study finds
A study from the Cook County Treasurer's Office found nearly $2 billion in property taxes shifted from county businesses to the lowest income homeowners over just three years. The study found property tax assessment appeals submitted by businesses in Cook County caused their collective tax bill to drop by $3.3 billion, while residential tax bills went up $1.9 billion. The study also found the additional tax burden on homeowners fell mainly on low-income Black and Latin homeowners who make less than $50,000 a year, who contested their assessed values at a much lower rate than wealthier white homeowners. Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said she has found that most homeowners are overwhelmed by the daily tasks in their lives and so taking actions like appealing your property assessment or taxes are simply not on their radar. Pappas' office said the study suggests current efforts by the Assessor's Office and the Board of Review to standardize their methodology and share date could lead to fewer and smaller small business assessment reductions which could, in turn, reduce the shifts in the tax burden onto low-income homeowners. Her office also suggests outreach to low-income homeowners so they have the knowledge and tools to appeal their assessments.
Axios
05-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Property taxes hit low-income areas hard
While office tower values shrank in recent years, homeowners — especially in the city's poorest neighborhoods — paid the price, a new Cook County Treasurer's report says. Why it matters: The study helps explain why homeowners and renters have seen their taxes and rents rise in recent years, adding to the city's housing cost burden. From 2021 to 2023 commercial real estate owners saw their property tax bills drop by $3.3 billion, while homeowners took on nearly $2 billion more in taxes. Yes, but: Those years wreaked havoc on the commercial real estate market as remote work slashed demand for office space. So their lowered valuations and taxes aren't a huge surprise. By the numbers: The analysis revealed that business property owners appealed their valuations more than twice as often as homeowners. While business reductions rose to $25.5 billion from 2021 to 2023 (compared with $9.9 billion from 2015 to 2017), assessed value reductions for homeowners declined. What they're saying: The Board of Review"cut $17.3 billion in commercial property values on appeal, turning $22.5 billion of potential growth into an increase of just $5.2 billion," Cook County Assessor spokesperson Christian Belanger tells Axios. The other side: The BOR reduced the assessment because "the Assessor has been overvaluing properties," BOR commissioner Samantha Steele tells Axios. Our "role is to give the taxpayers their due process. … It's time for the Assessor to do the basic functions of the office and get the assessments right in the first place." Of note: An independent analysis of CCAO and BOR actions suggests that both agencies have mis-assessed values, albeit in different county regions. Rich vs poor neighborhoods: Homeowners in the wealthiest neighborhoods were four times more likely to appeal their assessment than those in the lowest-income areas, the Treasurer's report says. Appeal rates in primarily white neighborhoods were 35.5% but 10.85% in Black and 14.06% in Latino areas. The tax burden from appeals increased by about 5% in high-income areas and about 10% in low-income areas. The intrigue: Filing appeals can seem daunting (and we explain how to do it here), but the analysis suggests it can make a difference, citing these two examples: In one Census tract of Gage Park, a low-income majority Latino community where only 5.2% of homeowners appealed, tax bills rose nearly 23%. But in a tract of high-income, majority white North Center, 60% of homeowners appealed their assessment; tax bills rose less than 15%. What's next: Belanger says the assessor's office will be "sharing information and working with the BOR on joint standards for property valuations" to create a more "uniform process."
