Federal prosecutors have made a series of requests to the Cook County assessor’s office over the past five months for records regarding the $330,000 property tax break that Gov. J.B. Pritzker got on a Gold Coast mansion — a break he got in part because the toilets were disconnected during a stalled remodeling job.Cook County Democrats under investigation....
Records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago has asked Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi for all emails and any other communications dating to 2012 regarding the tax break that Kaegi’s predecessor, Joseph Berrios, gave Pritzker.
As they continue an investigation prompted by a Sun-Times report in May 2017, they have asked for information including the name of every employee who, under Berrios, “worked, reviewed and/or approved” the tax break for one of the two mansions Pritzker owns on North Astor Street. Pritzker reimbursed Cook County the full value of the tax break in 2018.
Rather than obtain those names through subpoenas, prosecutors sent Kaegi’s staff a series of emails beginning Jan. 17 that cited a wide range of specific records, which he has agreed to turn over, records show.
The seven emails to the assessor’s office for records since then also show that, besides the investigation of Pritzker’s tax breaks, prosecutors have sought records of other property tax appeals to Berrios between 2010 and 2018 made on 118 properties. Those include the United Center, Gibson’s steakhouse on Rush Street, a Bob Rohrman auto dealership in Schaumburg and several homes, including the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson’s residence.
Friday, July 17, 2020
U.S. attorney in Chicago gets records on Madigan ally Berrios, Pritzker’s $330,000 tax break on Gold Coast mansion
The Chicago Sun-Times reports:
