title
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
ESTABLISHING THE ETHICAL PRACTICES ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT CONTRIBUTIONS BY ATTORNEYS, LAW FIRMS AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS FOR HIRE ENGAGING IN PROPERTY TAX APPEALS TO CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COOK COUNTY ASSESSOR.
WHEREAS, Joseph "Joe" Berrios assumed the office of Cook County Assessor in December of 2010; and
WHEREAS, the number of successful residential appeals granted by the Cook County Assessor has increased from twenty seven (27%) percent of successful appeals in 2009 to sixty one (61%) percent in 2015; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Assessor, since taking office has raised substantial amounts of political funds from tax attorneys and related businesses; and
WHEREAS, in June of 2017, the Chicago Tribune published findings of its yearlong investigation into the fairness and accuracy of property assessments conducted by the Cook County Assessor's Office; and
WHEREAS, the Tribune analysis found that Cook County's assessment process has disproportionately impacted residents in working-class neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, residents in working-class areas tend to pay more in taxes, proportionally, than residents in more affluent communities; and
WHEREAS, the Tribune partnered with the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy to study appeals filed by homeowners; and
WHEREAS, to reduce regressivity, an alternative assessment model was developed by experts for the Cook County Assessor's Office and funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and
WHEREAS, in July of 2015, the Cook County Assessor's Office publicly announced its adoption of the new assessment model, which it stated would improve accuracy by fifty percent; and
WHEREAS, the Tribune analysis found that the new model was not implemented, and no proper explanation has been provided by the Cook County Assessor's Office; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Assessor's Office has made public statements indicating that it does not independently c...
Click here for full text