In my opinion, the biggest reform when Republicans controlled the Illinois House, Senate and Governor from 1995-7 was putting Cook County under the Illinois Property tax Appeals Board.

State Rep. Maureen Murphy (R-Evergreen Park), now deceased, sponsored the bill.

The history of the Board, not mentioned in the report, started with Republican Governor Richard B. Ogilvie.

During his one term, he not only instituted the state income tax at 2 1/2 perecent for individuals, but also passed legislation to create the Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB, for short).

(Ogilvie also instituted the Circuit Breaker Tax Relilef program for needy seniors. While Pat Quinn was Governor, that was abolished by Democrats.)

But, Ogilvie only was able to obtain jurisdiction for the 101 counties outside of Cook County.

While Mike Madigan was not a big property tax appeals lawyer back then, the pressure to keep assessement determination within the power of Cook County Democrats kept Cook County taxpayers from having the same rights as property owners elsewhere for about twenty-five years.

Now, the obviously Cook County Democrat-dominated so-call Tax Relilef Tax Force has in its draft recommendation that PTAB appeal rights be stripped from commercial and industrial property located in Cook County.

The replacement?

Those big taxpayers would be forced to file suits in Cook County Circuit Court.

That, of course, puts the ball totally back into the court of Cook County Democrats.