Cook County Pop Tax Opponent Ridicule Column Shows Property Tax Discrimination Outside of Cook County

The Chicago Sun-Times ran an column by Dan Mihalopoulos earlier this month pretty much making fun of Republican Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison for leading the fight against the pop tax, but not paying his property taxes on time. No … Continue reading

Arrogance of Soda Pop Social Engineeers Revealed in Compromise Suggested as Repeal Impending

When the soda tax was first proposed by Cook County Board President Toni  Preckwinkle it was promoted as a tax on  “sweetened” beverages. Yet, it included diet pop, but not Starbucks coffee. Now, WBBM Radio says tax defender Elissa Bassler, CEO … Continue reading

Chicago-Based Publication Explains Why Those Not in Cook County Don’t Cry When Chicago Taxes Go Up

Mike Fourcher’s “The Daily Line” email today talks about the apparent impending repeal of the soda tax by the Cook County Board. Included is information about property taxes. What first caught my eye was the follwoing sentence: But after decades … Continue reading

Tribune Assessment Article Features 2% Effective Tax Rate for Overtaxed Chicago Homeowner

I was reading the second of the Chicago Tribune’s article on real estate assessments in Cook County and was struck be the following paragraph: In the end, the property taxes she paid that year represented more than 2 percent of … Continue reading

McHenry County Government Has Third Highest Average Salary

The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform has calculated average salaries paid by Illinois county governments. McHenry County came in third highest: Ten Counties with the Highest “Average Salary” for Employees … Continue reading

Undercover Sting Leads to Recorder’s Clerk Pleading Guilty to Accepting Bribe

A  press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: Former Clerk at Cook County Recorder of Deeds Admits Accepting Cash Bribe in Exchange for Preparing Fraudulent Real Estate Deed CHICAGO — A former clerk for the Cook County Recorder of Deeds … Continue reading

More Leaving Chicago Metro Area Than Any Other in Midwest

A Bloomberg News analysis of Census data shows that the Chicago Metropolitan Area is losing a higher percentage of its residents than any other Midwest metropolitan area. The time period was between July 2013 and July 2014. The loss was 69/100 … Continue reading

Cook County Voting Machines Not Certified by State Board of Elections

A press release from Sharon Meroni’s Defend the Vote: Illegal and Uncertified Voting Systems in Chicago and Suburban Cook County Defend the Vote has recently uncovered startling evidence that proves the voting systems used in Chicago and Suburban Cook County … Continue reading

25% Kickbacks Charged on Two No-Bid Cook County Forest Preserve Projects.

After you read the following press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, reflect on the size of the kickbacks compared to the size of the contracts.  Both are almost 25%, which means to me that the prices are being padded … Continue reading

Cook County Assessment Crooks Go Down

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: TWO FORMER COOK COUNTY BOARD OF REVIEW ANALYSTS CONVICTED OF ACCEPTING $1,500 BRIBE TO FACILITATE $10,000 PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION CHICAGO ― Two former analysts for the Cook County Board of Review were … Continue reading

Animal Farm – Concealed Carry Edition

It’s OK for Chicago Alderman to carry concealed handguns, but not its citizens. It’s OK for suburban Cook County residents to carry concealed guns, but not Chicagoans. That’s what I conclude after listening to part of a WBEZ interview with … Continue reading

Does Tom Dart Know His Concealed Carry Plan Will Hurt Poor Blacks and Latinos?

Basic economics teaches that when one prices something high that few will be sold. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has proposed that Cook County residents be charged $300 to apply for a concealed carry license. That’s what the Chicago Sun-Times … Continue reading

Feds Sue Cook County Pension Fund on Behalf of Army Reserve Captain who Served at Walter Reed Hospital

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: U.S. SUES COOK COUNTY AND COUNTY PENSION FUND to Enforce the Employment Rights of Army RESERVE Member CHICAGO – The United States today filed a civil lawsuit alleging that a Cook County … Continue reading