Podcasts about cook county assessor

September 4, 2024 Tackling the Chicago Reassessment – Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Northern Trust Executive Vice President and CFO Jason Tyler City Club event description: In 2024, the Cook County Assessor’s Office is conducting its triennial reassessment of property values in the City of Chicago. These valuations determine how the tax burden gets […]

Axios reporter Monica Eng joins John Williams to explain how Cook County is trying to fix inaccurate property tax data.

Axios reporter Monica Eng joins John Williams to explain how Cook County is trying to fix inaccurate property tax data.

Axios reporter Monica Eng joins John Williams to explain how Cook County is trying to fix inaccurate property tax data.

Assessor Kaegi and Stacie Young explain how the Assessor's Office and CIC created a program to incentivize affordable housing providers! To kick things off, Assessor Kaegi explains how properties are assessed in Illinois and Stacie shares the history of the Class 9 Program. They then break down the Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program including how it works, the increased profits for participating housing providers, and the qualification requirements. Our guests share numerous ways to learn more about the program and how the Assessor's Office and CIC can be a valuable resource for housing providers. Immense value is packed into this episode with insights that can potentially decrease property taxes and maximize profitability!  If you enjoy today's episode, please leave us a review and share with someone who may also find value in this content! Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guests: Assessor Fritz Kaegi & CIC President Stacie Young, Cook County Assessor's Office & Community Investment Corporation (CIC) Link: Assessor's Affordable Housing Programs Webpage Link: Assessor's Affordable Housing Email for Questions Link: Erik Harmon - Assessor's Director of Commercial Outreach Link: John McDonnell - Assessor's Director of Multifamily Development Link: CIC Team Link: The Power Broker (Book Recommendation) Link: The Whalebone Theatre (Book Recommendation) Link: SUCI Ep 151 - Assessor Kaegi Link: SUCI Ep 94 - Stacie Young ----------------- Guest Questions 03:10 Housing Provider Tip: Don't forget to appeal your property taxes! 05:09 Intro to our guests, Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Stacie Young! 05:47 How are properties assessed for tax purposes in Cook County and Illinois? 09:22 History of the Class 9 Program! 15:00 Who can benefit from the Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program? 21:58 Requirements and process to qualify for the program. 33:19 Interest levels in the program. 36:41 How to stay in compliance once in the program? 39:35 What's next for CIC and the Assessor's Office? 43:56 What is Assessor Kaegi's and Stacie's competitive advantage? 46:31 One piece of advice for new investors. 49:31 What do you do for fun? 50:24 Good book, podcast, or self development activity that you would recommend? 52:04 Local Network Recommendation? 54:33 How can the listeners learn more about you and provide value to you? ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2023.

• ABC's Andy Field shares the details on Biden saying that the US and NATO Allies were not involved in the recent Russian rebellion.  • Ret. Chief Tom Weitzel from Riverside shares his thoughts on the recent violence in Willowbrook and our nation.  • Jason Nathanson reveals how Taylor Swift is singlehandedly boosting the economy of every city she travels to on her tour.  • Plus, John discusses the assessment on the Cook County Assessor's home and what exactly went sideways.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

• ABC's Andy Field shares the details on Biden saying that the US and NATO Allies were not involved in the recent Russian rebellion.  • Ret. Chief Tom Weitzel from Riverside shares his thoughts on the recent violence in Willowbrook and our nation.  • Jason Nathanson reveals how Taylor Swift is singlehandedly boosting the economy of every city she travels to on her tour.  • Plus, John discusses the assessment on the Cook County Assessor's home and what exactly went sideways.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Community Outreach with Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi Panelists:Fritz Kaegi is Cook County Assessor and a highly qualified expert in property assessments holding the chartered financial analyst and certified Illinois assessment officer designation. He is a member of the IAAO the international association of assessing officers.

Fritz Kaegi, Cook County Assessor, joins Steve Dale to address the increase in property tax assessments for various neighborhoods across the city. He also speaks with some callers who express their frustrations with these changes. You can read more about these changes from a 2021 study here.

Community Outreach Panelist:Fritz Kaegi - is Cook County Assessor and a highly qualified expert in property assessments, holding the chartered financial analyst and certified Illinois assessment officer designation. He is a member of the IAAO the international association of Assessing Officers

Ever wonder how your Cook County properties are assessed and how taxes are calculated? Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi presents valuable info on property taxes and the overall mission of his office!      Fritz starts by sharing his background and how it allowed him to seamlessly step in and improve processes as the Assessor. He talks about his office's responsibilities and some of the common misconceptions the public may have. Fritz elaborates on the massive amount of data involved with assessing 1.9 million properties and gives tips on making your case if you believe your property's assessed value is inaccurate. Tremendous value packed in this episode that can potentially lead to decreased property taxes and increased NOI! If you enjoy today's episode, please leave us a review and share with someone who may also find value in this content! Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Fritz Kaegi, Cook County Assessor's Office Link: Capital Allocators (Podcast Recommendation) Link: Hacks on Tap (Podcast Recommendation) Link: Power Broker (Book Recommendation) Link: Samir Mayekar (Network Recommendation) Link: Michael Fassnacht (Network Recommendation) Sponsors: GC Reality and The Axon Group (EXP Realty) ----------------- Guest Questions 02:29 House Provider Tip: Do not overpay for a property simply to complete a 1031 Exchange - weigh out all options! 05:43 Intro to our guest, Fritz Kaegi! 06:24 What attracted Fritz to the position of Cook County Assessor? 08:34 How are property taxes calculated? 18:20 What is the process for establishing assessed values? 25:29 How is the massive amount of data managed by the Assessor's office? 29:01 How many PINs are there in Cook County? 29:44 Why is a majority of the property tax burden put on the housing providers (i.e. owners of apartment buildings)? 33:32 How are property taxes impacting affordable housing? 35:45 What are some common misconceptions about the Cook County Assessor? Wrap Up Questions 41:20 What is Fritz's competitive advantage when compared to his predecessors?  43:04 One piece of advice for new investors. 45:29 What do you do for fun? 45:51 Good book, podcast, or self-development activity that you would recommend?  47:46 Local Network Recommendation? 49:04 How can the listeners learn more about you and provide value to you? That's our show! Thanks for listening! ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.  

Summer officially started this week, and the City Cast Chicago team has put together a little summer bucket list to get you through the next few months. Host Jacoby Cochran talks to Chicago Tribune politics reporters Gregory Pratt and A.D. Quig about what they are planning to do this summer. Plus, billionaire Ken Griffin moving hedge fund Citadel to Miami, the Cook County assessor's race, how CTA and the Parks are falling short with service right now, and the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Plus, moments of joy! Moments of Joy AEW coming to Chicago Celebrating House music  DanceAfrica Chicago: Roots Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest: - Fritz Kaegi, Cook County Assessor

This week on Inside the Skev, are rejoined by Fritz Kaegi, the Cook County Assessor. Since assuming office in 2018, Fritz has striven to bring fairness, ethics and transparency to the Cook County Assessor's Office with a vision focused on operational changes, technological upgrades, and the elimination of favoritism. We will talk about how he has accomplished his goals, what property owners should know about the property tax system in Cook County and how Covid is affecting property valuations. We also discuss the upcoming elections. More information can be found here: http://www.cookcountyassessor.com and https://fritzforassessor.comInside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Shoutout to First Class Moving & Storage and Lapin Systems for sponsoring this episode!

May 24, 2022 Assessor Fritz Kaegi – Cook County City Club event description: Assessor Fritz Kaegi Fritz Kaegi is the Cook County Assessor. Prior to beginning his career in Cook County government, Fritz spent more than 20 years valuing assets as a mutual fund portfolio manager and analyst. In his 13 years at Columbia Wanger […]

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi join John Williams to talk about the reassessment work that has been done in Chicago, how the reassessment will help homeowners when tax bills come out, the impact of COVID on office buildings in the market, the valuation of Trump Tower, and how undervalued properties can hurt businesses.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi join John Williams to talk about the reassessment work that has been done in Chicago, how the reassessment will help homeowners when tax bills come out, the impact of COVID on office buildings in the market, the valuation of Trump Tower, and how undervalued properties can hurt businesses.

For the second episode of our second season, we talk to Fritz Kaegi, the Cook County Assessor, all about property taxes. It's probably a topic no one likes to talk about, but he offers some great information.

For this episode, we sit down with the Cook County Assessor, Fritz Kaegi. We talk about everything from him being raised in Hyde Park and the changes he's seen in the neighborhood through the years all the way to current day opportunities on how to get some help with your property taxes. You don‘t wanna miss this episode of Randomly Selected with Fritz Kaegi!

After roughly three years of upending the Cook County Assessor's office, Fritz Kaegi is in re-election mode. He's responsible for setting the values for 1.8 million parcels across the county, which help determine local property tax bills. He came into office on an ethics crusade, pledging to end patronage while also fundamentally rejiggering how the office values big commercial buildings. He's got early reports that indicate his values are closer to the mark. But politics is never that simple, and he's got challenges on multiple fronts. One is an opponent in June's democratic primary, Kari Steele, who argues his reforms have destabilized the business environment. He's facing similar criticism from some big building owners who have seen assessed values jump in some cases by more than 70 percent, putting a bigger share of the county's property tax burden on their shoulders. And he's seeing some of his numbers get knocked down by the Board of Review, a three-member body that hears property tax appeals. Kaegi's walking a fine line with the BOR. He's criticized their practices – saying they've undone a surprising number of his decisions compared to other jurisdictions – and their policies, including that members haven't barred donations from property tax attorneys. This episode digs into why, despite those criticisms, Kaegi won't be using his bully pulpit to elect other like-minded officials to the Board of Review. A.D. Quig spoke to the Cook County Assessor on December 9, fresh off a hearing with the Chicago City Council's Finance Committee. That hearing was called by an alderman who said Kaegi engineered “a deliberate shift of tax burden” that was harming economic activity in the county. But it ended up as a lovefest. A.D.'s conversation with Kaegi starts there.

A group of South Shore neighbors pooled their money to buy and restore a historic vacant apartment building in their neighborhood. Mayor Lori Lightfoot remains on the fence as alders continue to spar over the city's next ward map. And one Chicagoan may have caught the biggest carp in Illinois at the Humboldt Park lagoon, leaving the rest of us wondering, “Where the hell did this 72-pound behemoth come from?” Block Club Chicago's Maxwell Evans and Crain's Chicago Business' A.D. Quig stop by to talk about these stories and more. Plus, Thanksgiving is next week so we're talking favorite side dishes and the City Cast Chicago team says what they're thankful for this year! Guests: Maxwell Evans — Hyde Park, Woodlawn, and South Shore reporter, Block Club Chicago A.D. Quig — Politics and government reporter, Crain's Chicago Business Stories discussed: South Shore neighbors restore a historic vacant apartment building Southeast Sider helps a couple from Indiana stranded in Chicago Why you should care about the Cook County Assessor's race Man catches gigantic carp in Humboldt Park lagoon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America's Heroes Group Roundtable Community  Outreach Panelist: Fritz Kaegi  - Cook County Assessor Kaegi holds the designations of Chartered Financial Analysts and Certified Illinois Assessment Officer.  Kaegi is a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers

Panelists:Fritz Kaegi - Cook County Assessor. Kaegi holds the designations of Chartered financial Analysts and Certified Illinois Assessment Officer. Kaegi is a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers. Bill Browne- US Air Force Veteran and Director Cook County Veterans Affairs 

March 2, 2021 Fritz Kaegi – Assessor – Cook County Fritz Kaegi Fritz Kaegi is the Cook County Assessor. Prior to beginning his career in Cook County government, Fritz spent more than 20 years valuing assets as a mutual fund portfolio manager and analyst. In his 13 years at Columbia Wanger Asset Management, Fritz served […]

CFA Society Chicago member Rich Excell, CFA, speaks with Cook County Assessor and fellow charterholder Fritz Kaegi, CFA, about the challenges of modernizing a government office in a way that builds investor confidence. Connect with Rich on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richexcellcfa/ and Twitter @ExcellRichard  Connect with Fritz on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/fkaegi/ For more episodes go to www.cfachicago.org/podcasts

This week on Inside the Skev, are joined by Fritz Kaegi, the Cook County Assessor. Since assuming office in 2018, Fritz has brought fairness, ethics and transparency to the Cook County Assessor’s Office with a vision focused on operational changes, technological upgrades, and the elimination of favoritism. We talk about how he has accomplished his goals, what property owners should know about the property tax system in Cook County and how Covid is affecting property valuations. We also talk about our mutual admiration for to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Bernstein family. Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates. 

We welcome Fritz Kaegi, Cook County Assessor and former portfolio manager, to discuss CRE property valuations in Chicago, reforming the tax assessment process, the impact of COVID-19 on assessments, and his experience transitioning from the private sector to public office. Episode Notes: Assessing CRE property values in Chicago (5:03) Reforming the assessment process(8:58) The biggest challenge during Fritz’ first year in office (11:01) Generating transparent property valuations (16:45) The impact of COVID on CRE valuations (21:38) From the private sector to public office (26:43) The current vibe in Chicago (30:54) Opportunities in industrial (34:31) For additional resources from the Cook County Assessor's Office, visit trepp.com/the-treppwire-podcast

Scott Smith, known to the internet as Our Man In Chicago, is living his best Josh Lyman life as Chief Communications Officer for the Cook County Assessor’s Office. He is a writer and former journalist who produces The Frunchroom - a reading series that features five stories about the South Side of Chicago, often from South Siders, but also from those throughout Chicago who’ve experienced all that this part of the city has to offer.You can find the Cook County Assessor's Office on Twitter - keep an eye out for quotes from The West Wing.You can find the podcast that got me into podcasts at The West Wing Weekly.

New data shows that Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi has been a boon for homeowners in northern Cook County. Reset checks in with Crain’s Chicago Business for the latest.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020 _1. The shutdown is stark, scary, and certainly devastating for many. It’s also getting weird, and some of that weirdness was on display this week as the Cuomo Brothers blurred all sorts of lines between public information, news, and entertainment. _2. Even under lockdown, the work of our city and county go on. This week, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi joins the podcast. He ran as a reformer, was elected to clean up the process of property tax assessments both commercial residential. We talk about his first year, the progress he’s made, and also the resistance from some quarters. _3. Ryan Bernsten is the host of the 50 States of Mind podcast. He’s on lockdown in Kansas City at the moment, but last year, he visited all fifty states. As season two of his podcast kicks off, Ryan joins to talk about the project as well as life under lockdown in a red state. Learn more at ryanbernsten.com/50-states-of-mind.

We sat down with the Cook County Assessor, Fritz Kaegi. Not many people know what the role of the Cook County Assessor is and what their office does, so we took the deep dive with Assessor Kaegi on the role of the Cook County Assessor, property taxes in Cook County, affordable housing, new ways for seniors to access property tax exemptions, and a lot more. We even snuck in a Raiders of the Lost Ark reference.Host: Joshua Smyser-DeLeon, Twitter @jsdeleonSite: paseomedia.orgFacebook & Twitter: @paseopodcastSounds: MEINL PercussionCook County Assessor Website + Facebook + Twitter + InstagramSenior ExemptionSenior Freeze ExemptionHomeowner's Exemption

January 21, 2020 Assessor Fritz Kaegi – Cook County Fritz Kaegi Fritz Kaegi is the Cook County Assessor. Prior to beginning his career in Cook County government, Fritz spent more than 20 years valuing assets as a financial manager and analyst. In his 13 years at Columbia Wanger Asset Management, Fritz served as a financial […]

Certain concepts in the planning sphere can be hard to make tangible for residents, but property taxes is not one of them. Kelwin Harris knows this reality well. As the director of outreach and engagement for the Office of the Cook County Assessor — which is responsible for valuing 1.8 million properties for tax purposes in and around Chicago — he and his team have been eagerly getting out the word that the the office, with all its political baggage, is changing. It’s committed to transparency and efficiency, including seeking better, more accurate data through SB1379, or the Data Modernization Bill, which would eventually reduce the backlog of appeals currently burdening the system. Before he went to work for the Office of the Assessor, Kelwin worked in various capacities at the city and regional levels and in grassroots neighborhood economic development. He is a former senior outreach planner for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), and prior to CMAP, he worked on Chicago’s South Side in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood as director of social services with St. Sabina Church and Catholic Charities. He held numerous roles in this community, directing programs and interventions to improve job skills, address food insecurity, combat violence, expose youth to colleges, and provide financial assistance for thousands of residents. He even served the City of Chicago as assistant to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and acting chief of human infrastructure. Many lessons he learned in his previous roles and through his previous experiences make their way into his conversation with podcast host Courtney Kashima, AICP: how communities get the development they actually want, why the South Side of Chicago is far more multifaceted than its media portrayal, and how the Wu-Tang Clan helped a young Kelwin plug in to the world beyond his window.

The Bluesmobile crashes through Daley Plaza before finally giving up the ghost, and Jake and Elwood make their way to the Office of the Cook County Assessor as a truckload of Chicago cops jumps around yelling HUT. Support the show at www.patreon.com/DitchDiggers www.bluesbrosminute.com Facebook: @bluesbrosminute Twitter: @BluesBrosMin

Attorney Tim Jacobs discusses the impacts of the new Cook County Assessor on commercial properties in Northern Cook County and the process of appealing property tax assessments. 

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi  talks with Crauig Dellimore about undoing years of financial inequities and changing the way assessments are made. He discusses the affect on the tax bills and the business....and why legislation to require more Data is key.

Joining the show this week is Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. Kaegi describes how is improving the Cook County Assessor's office, Gives details on what a property tax assessment is, and ways to modernize.

February 21, 2019 Hon. Fritz Kaegi – Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi Fritz Kaegi is the Cook County Assessor. Prior to beginning his career in Cook County government, Fritz spent his career valuing assets as a financial manager at Columbia Wanger Asset Management. In 13 years at Columbia Wanger, Fritz served as a financial steward, […]

Jake and Elwood offer to help the Penguin with the taxes she owes to the Cook County Assessor's Office, but it turns out she's up some kind of creek. Support the show at www.patreon.com/DitchDiggers www.bluesbrosminute.com Facebook: @bluesbrosminute Twitter: @BluesBrosMin

President Trump is famous for bragging about his net worth. Publicly, he claims he’s worth  more than $10 billion. He even sued an author over the issue and lobbied the editors of Forbes about his ranking on their billionaires list. Yet quietly in another setting, the Trump Organization says the president’s holdings are worth far less than he has proclaimed. Across the country, the company is suing local governments, claiming it owes much less in property taxes than government assessors say because its properties are worth much less than they’ve been valued at. In just one example, the company has asserted that its gleaming waterfront skyscraper in Chicago is worth less than than its assessed value, in part because its retail space is failing and worth less than nothing.  Since becoming president, Trump’s companies have filed at least nine new lawsuits against municipalities in Florida, New York and Illinois, arguing for lower tax bills, ProPublica has found. Some of those lawsuits have been previously reported. At stake is millions of dollars that communities use to fund roads, schools and police departments. Real estate owners dispute property taxes frequently, and some even sue. The president has a long track record of doing so himself. But experts are troubled that he’s doing so while in office. No president in modern times has owned a business involved in legal battles with local governments. “The idea that the president would have these interests and then those companies would sue localities is really a dangerous precedent,” said Larry Noble of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. The dynamic between local and federal governments is impossible to ignore in these cases, he said, and municipalities “rely on resources from the federal government and the federal government can make your life easier or much more difficult.” He added that the concern arises because the president did not fully separate from his businesses. A spokesman for the Trump Organization said, “Like any other business or property owner, when property taxes become inflated, it is not uncommon to challenge the process to ensure fair treatment. This is a routine practice and any suggestion otherwise is simply ridiculous.” Here’s a selection of the Trump Organization’s fights: Just 35 miles north of New York City, the company is fighting the town of Ossining home to Trump National Westchester Golf Club. Trump bought the course in 1996 for $7.5 million and put in $40 million of renovations. The course includes a 75,000-square-foot clubhouse, a 101-foot man-made waterfall, and a host of luxury condominiums overlooking the fairway. Trump said in presidential financial disclosures that this property is worth at least $50 million. Ossining currently assesses the property at only $15 million. Yet in legal filings, the Trump Organization claims that assessment is far too high. In 2015, the company said the property is worth only $1.5 million in a lawsuit filed against the town in Westchester County court. Municipalities almost always settle instead of taking these cases to trials, which can be expensive. But after public outcry, the town decided not to settle and instead is fighting this case and another one related to a neighboring private golf course which is not owned by Trump. Asked how it feels to be sued by President Trump’s company, Dana Levenberg, a town supervisor in Ossining said, “It is certainly uncomfortable at best.” Ossining has a population of 38,000 and an annual budget of $5.5 million. In order to fight, it’s had to bring in expert assessors and outside lawyers and that adds up. “When you have deep private pockets, it’s a lot easier to have staying power in these cases,” said Levenberg. Trump National Golf Club LLC, the subsidiary that owns the club, has filed lawsuits over property taxes each year since 2015. If the town loses, they’ll have to refund Trump National the difference between what it claimed was owed and the Trump Organization’s number — roughly $439,960 from 2015 alone. That will come out of school budgets and municipal funds. Briarcliff Schools, the district the course falls in, has put aside $2.8 million of their annual $51.4 million budget for future tax refunds. The town and a number of other municipal offices have set aside funds as well. In Chicago, the Trump Organization has embraced a notoriously unequal system of property assessment challenges to its own benefit. The Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago, set on prime riverfront downtown real estate, was born out of the first season of “The Apprentice.” Completed in 2008, it rises 92 stories and includes a hotel, condominiums and retail space. But in lawsuits filed against the Cook County Assessor’s Office, Trump’s lawyers call the building a “failed business” and claim the riverfront commercial retail space is worthless. The Trump Organization, through its subsidiary, 401 Wabash Ventures LLC, has appealed valuations for Trump Tower Chicago and lowered its tax bills by over $14 million dollars over the years through settlement negotiations. Not satisfied with those reductions, the Trump Organization sued, first in 2006, and then repeatedly in subsequent years. Currently, there are five open cases filed on behalf of the Trump Organization against the county, all regarding Trump Tower. The Chicago Sun-Times estimates there are about $3 million in tax refunds at stake in these cases.  Reports by ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune show that the tax appeals system can exacerbate existing inequalities in the tax system in Illinois, in part because appeals are filed most frequently by those who can afford lawyers. Experts said they see this in many places across the country. “The trend has often been that these appeals processes have been abused by those that are already advantaged,” said Andrew Kahrl, an expert in the history of taxation and an associate professor at the University of Virginia.  In Palm Beach County, Florida, the Trump Organization is suing the tax assessor over its tax bill for the Trump National Golf Course Palm Beach. The course, located in the town of Jupiter, is one of two nearby private courses the president frequents while staying at Mar-a-Lago. On his financial disclosure, Trump lists the value of the Jupiter course as $50 million. Yet in the lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Civil Court, the company says the county’s current $19.5 million assessment “exceed[s] the market value” of the course. The county and its lawyer declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.  The county billed the company $398,315. In December, Jupiter Golf Club paid $296,595.01, calling it a “good faith estimate” of what’s owed. In Manhattan, the Trump Organization filed six lawsuits in New York County court over property tax assessments of Trump Tower, Trump Park Avenue, and other buildings in midtown and the Upper East Side in 2017 alone. Owners of high-value properties frequently appeal their tax bills in New York City. 

What exactly does the Cook County Board of Commissioners actually do? The Cook County Assessor? Who is Jerry “Iceman” Butler? Bob Fioretti? How are candidates J. B. Pritzker and Daniel Biss both tied to UChicago? What does an FBI wiretap have to do with this? And what does it all mean for paying rent in Hyde Park?Maroon reporter Quinn Kane sits down with Citizen Bulletin members David Wyman, Alex Shura, Gianluca Yong, and Zarek Drozda to talk about the various primary races culminating this March.Host: Quinn Kane Editors: Quinn Kane, Grace Hauck Featuring: David Wyman, Alex Shura, Gianluca Yong, Zarek Drozda Music: Aaron Cendan

Craig Dellimore talks with incumbent Assessor Joe Berrios, his chief challenger Fritz Kaegi and Andrea Raila, who is fighting for her spot on the ballot in the Democratic Primary.

Once again, there’s been no shortage of drama in Illinois politics this week:A political operative accused powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of waiting too long to act on her sexual harassment claim against one of his top aides. We catch you up on the details and the political fallout.Cook County residents who own modestly valued homes pay more property taxes than they should, according to a report released this week. We explain how the findings could blow up an already nasty race for Cook County Assessor.Three more residents of a state-run veterans’ home have contracted Legionnaires’ disease, one of whom was reportedly a recent guest of Gov. Bruce Rauner at his State of the State address. We explain how Rauner and his Republican primary opponent, state Rep. Jeanne Ives, propose to respond to the outbreak.WBEZ’s politics team broke all of that down during our weekly Illinois Elections 2018 podcast.

This week, the Indivisible Chicago Podcast welcomes Cook County Assessor candidate Fritz Kaegi for Property Tax Assessment 101 and to talk about alleged corruption and inefficiencies in that office and what he would do to clean it up if elected. As the DACA deadline approaches, Indivisible Chicago’s Carol Rodriguez joins to talk about what we all need to do to be better advocates for those affected. Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen online at indivisiblechicago.com/podcast.

In "Know the Roles," Professor Emeritus Bob Starks explains the public offices that many voters may not be as familiar with. He walks us through the duties of the Cook County Board President, District Judges, the Cook County Assessor and the Cook County Sheriff - all of which will be on the ballot March 20th. Dear Black Voter is a six-part series on voter education. New episodes are released every other Friday. -- CULPodcast.com/DearBlackVoter Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hMempsyZT0 Twitter: Twitter.com/ChiUrbanLeague Instagram: Instagram.com/ChiUrbanLeague Facebook: facebook.com/ChicagoUrbanLeague CUL President & CEO, Shari Runner Hosted by Dometi Pongo | www.dometipongo.com