Feds investigating former Cook County assessor, Madigan rainmaker Joe Berrios

By Austin Berg

12/17/2019

The probe potentially opens up a new front in authorities’ investigation of House Speaker Mike Madigan: the property tax appeals game from which he has made millions.

TAGS: capital project, Chicago, conflict of interest, Cook County, Cook County assessor, Cook County Democratic Party, corruption, Ed Burke, federal investigation, house rules, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Joseph Berrios, Legislative Inspector General, legislative map, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes, redistricting, revolving door, Rod Blagojevich, Springfield

Cook County assessor candidate calls for ban on aldermen serving as property tax attorneys

By Vincent Caruso

08/24/2018

The Democratic nominee in the Cook County assessor’s race is voicing support for a ban on city aldermen doubling as property tax appeals attorneys, an arrangement that encourages conflicts of interest.

TAGS: Ed Burke, Fritz Kaegi, Joseph Berrios, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, Patrick Daley Thompson, Patrick O'Connor, property taxes, Toni Preckwinkle

Cook County property tax bills set to increase by 5 percent

06/26/2018

Chicago homeowners will see their property tax bills rise by an average of $110 this summer. But suburban residents and business owners should also prepare for a hike.

TAGS: Cook County, Joseph Berrios, property taxes, taxes

Report: $800M of property tax burden in Chicago shifted onto poorer homeowners from 2011-2015

By Amy Korte

03/16/2018

University of Chicago researchers have found inaccurate and unfair assessments by the Cook County Assessor’s Office led to $800 million of the property tax burden shifting from owners of Chicago homes in the top 10 percent (by sale price) to owners of homes in the bottom 70 percent.

TAGS: Cook County, Joseph Berrios, property taxes

Bill would bar Cook County elected officials from working as lobbyists, owning lobbying firms

By Austin Berg

03/07/2018

Countywide elected officials would be barred from working as registered lobbyists or owning a lobbying firm under a new bill in the General Assembly.

TAGS: Cook County, Joseph Berrios, lobbying

Report: Cook County property tax assessment process unfair to poorer homeowners

By Amy Korte

02/16/2018

A new study confirms Cook County's broken property tax assessment system causes owners of lower-value homes to bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.

TAGS: Joseph Berrios, property taxes

Lawmakers file bills barring state lawmakers from working as property tax lawyers

By Vincent Caruso

02/06/2018

A number of state and local lawmakers in Illinois practice property tax appeals litigation. But a pair of bills recently filed in the General Assembly would end their ability to benefit at the expense of taxpayers.

TAGS: Ed Burke, Grant Wehrli, Jim Oberweis, Joseph Berrios, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes

Controversial assessments have history of appeals by Burke and Madigan

By Brendan Bakala

01/24/2018

An order currently under consideration by Chicago City Council challenges the assessments of seven properties, four of which have been the subject of property tax appeals by the law firms of Chicago Alderman Ed Burke or Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.

TAGS: Ed Burke, Joseph Berrios, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes

Chicago aldermen move to challenge lowball assessments on some of Chicago’s priciest properties

By Brendan Bakala

01/19/2018

Alderman Ricardo Munoz's proposal highlights seven expensive properties in or around the Loop that aldermen contend were underassessed, shifting the property tax burden to other property owners.

TAGS: Chicago, Joseph Berrios, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes

Rauner announces plan to ban lawmakers from working as property tax lawyers

By Austin Berg

01/18/2018

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and state Rep. Robert Martwick are all involved in the clout-heavy cottage industry of property tax appeals.

TAGS: Ed Burke, Joseph Berrios, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes, Robert Martwick

Center for Poverty Solutions: How to better assess poverty in Chicago and America

America’s War on Poverty has been an abject failure. Nearly $12 trillion and 60 years later, official poverty rates remain basically unchanged. While the nation waged a well-intentioned assault on poverty, it inadvertently launched a far more sinister war: on dignity. While attempting to eradicate poverty, America created countless government welfare programs. In doing so,...

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Center for Poverty Solutions: How to better assess poverty in Chicago and America

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Traci Crosby

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students