Alex Nitkin is The Daily Line’s reporter covering Cook County and Chicago land use policy. He came to TDL from The Real Deal Chicago, where he covered Chicago real estate news. He previously worked at DNAinfo, first as a breaking news reporter, and then as a neighborhood reporter covering the city's Northwest Side. Nitkin graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism with a bachelor’s degree.
Bio
Solutions reporter, @IllinoisAnswers/@BetterGov. Formerly of @thedailylinechi, @trdchicago & @DNAinfoChi. Amateur baker. Tips: [email protected]
JAN 03, 2020
County officials signed off on approximately $76,000 in extra grants for community organizations to conduct outreach programs for the 2020 Census, boosting the $1.4 million officials paid out in November after widening the application criteria.
County Census commission approves more grants after easing application requirements
County officials signed off on approximately $76,000 in extra grants for community organizations ...
JAN 02, 2020
The owners of the MOCA Modern Cannabis dispensary ask the city's Zoning Board of Appeals for a permit for a new dispensary. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]New dispensaries face steep climb for approval as legal pot sales get underway
The owners of the MOCA Modern Cannabis dispensary ask the city's Zoning Board of Appeals for a ...
DEC 20, 2019
Cook County Board Board President Toni Preckwinkle looks on as Comm. Bill Lowry discusses plans to study the legalization of marijuana. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]
County lays out cannabis ground rules, charges new commission with studying impact of legalization
Cook County Board Board President Toni Preckwinkle looks on as Comm. Bill Lowry discusses plans...
DEC 20, 2019
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. [A.D. Quig/The Daily Line]
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi will relax requirements for next year’s property tax appeals process after his staffers rebuffed an overwhelming majority of the thousands of property owners who claimed the rookie assessor had over-valued their buildings.
Kaegi hit homeowners and landlords in Cook County’s 13 north-suburban townships with a double-punch this year when his valuations team hiked their assessments — sometimes more than doubling them — and then rejected most of their pleas for reductions. Kaegi’s office delivered its last round of appeals decisions on Dec. 7.
Kaegi promises ‘more flexibility’ on next year’s tax appeals after rejecting most complaints
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. [A.D. Quig/The Daily Line]
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi...
DEC 19, 2019
Cook County officials want to referee the dust-up that blew open on Wednesday between city and state leaders over the coming legalization of cannabis in Illinois.
Proposed county commission would ‘give some teeth’ to cannabis equity rules, Lowry says
Cook County officials want to referee the dust-up that blew open on Wednesday between city and st...
DEC 19, 2019
Von Humboldt school at 2620 W. Hirsch St. has sat vacant since 2013 when the district closed a record 50 schools.MINA BLOOM/BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
A proposal to turn the vacant Von Humboldt Elementary School into an 107-unit apartment complex and five townhomes geared toward teachers now has the tentative support of Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) and is set to be considered by the Chicago Plan Commission Thursday.
Plan Commission to consider proposal to turn closed school into apartment complex
Von Humboldt school at 2620 W. Hirsch St. has sat vacant since 2013 when the district closed a ...
DEC 18, 2019
Forest Preserves Police officers must be “equipped to handle” dangerous people Cook County Forest Preserve Police Chief Cynthia Lance told commissioners. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]
The board — whose members are the same as the Cook County Board of Commissioners — voted 13-2 to approve a five-year, $1.28 million contract with Axon Enterprises, the same company that provides the Chicago Police Department with its body cameras.
Tobolski reappears as commissioners approve tasers, body cams for Forest Preserves police
Forest Preserves Police officers must be “equipped to handle” dangerous people Cook County Fore...
DEC 17, 2019
A commission charged with doling out millions of public dollars to boost Cook County’s response to the 2020 U.S. census called off its Monday meeting, marking the group’s third cancellation in the span of a single month.
County census commission cancels meeting for 3rd time in a month
A commission charged with doling out millions of public dollars to boost Cook County’s response t...
DEC 16, 2019
The Cook County Land Bank's Transactions Committee considers a proposal to buy a property in Franklin Park in November. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Cook County Land Bank looks to ramp up in 2020 as outside probe lingers
The Cook County Land Bank's Transactions Committee considers a proposal to buy a property in Fr...
DEC 13, 2019
The agency responsible for sopping up flood runoff and cleaning Cook County’s wastewater will see its budget shrink in 2020, reducing its share of property taxes on the average home.
Water Reclamation District approves $1.15 billion budget as fiscal watchdog cites ‘improvements in financial practices’
The agency responsible for sopping up flood runoff and cleaning Cook County’s wastewater will see...
DEC 12, 2019
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) said the poor results of the city's affordable housing rules “staggering.” [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]‘Development for All’ debate kicks off affordable housing policy revamp
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) said the poor results of the city's affordable housing rules “stag...
DEC 12, 2019
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Chief Valuations Officer Donald Meyer explained how property tax assessments are changing. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]
Kaegi defends assessment hikes, launches new tax simulator tool to ‘level the playing field’
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Chief Valuations Officer Donald Meyer explained how proper...
DEC 12, 2019
Officials are scheduled on Thursday to sign off on a $1.09 billion budget for agency that cleans sewage, fights flooding and protects drinking water and for the 5.2 million people who live in Cook County.
Water Reclamation district set to approve $1.1 billion budget for 2020
Officials are scheduled on Thursday to sign off on a $1.09 billion budget for agency that cleans ...
DEC 11, 2019
A group of aldermen on Tuesday nearly thwarted a cannabis company’s proposal to upgrade its Wrigleyville dispensary, blasting a warning shot against white weed purveyors who do not bring on diverse partners and further chipping away at the unwritten rule of aldermanic prerogative.
‘Give the brothers a piece:’ Aldermen narrowly OK Wrigleyville dispensary amid criticism over lack of Black owners
A group of aldermen on Tuesday nearly thwarted a cannabis company’s proposal to upgrade its Wrigl...
DEC 10, 2019
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough draws names to determine the ballot order for March 17. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Ballot order lottery boosts Meister, Avila in crowded down-ballot races as MWRD candidates face raft of challenges
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough draws names to determine the ballot order for March 17. [Alex...
DEC 10, 2019
Cannabis cultivator Cresco Labs is scheduled to score zoning approval on Tuesday to move its Medmar Lakeview dispensary into the heart of Wrigleyville, clearing a regulatory hurdle that aldermen added to cannabis zoning rules in order to tighten their control over the approval process.
Wrigleyville cannabis dispensary set to clear zoning hurdle put up by aldermen
Cannabis cultivator Cresco Labs is scheduled to score zoning approval on Tuesday to move its Medm...
DEC 06, 2019
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District candidates, from left: Frank Avila, Cam Davis, Kimberly Neely Du Buclet and Eira Corral Sepúlveda. [Submitted photos]Crowded water reclamation district race pits Democratic Party muscle against familiar faces
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District candidates, from left: Frank Avila, Cam Davis, Kimberly...
DEC 04, 2019
The races that will shape the leadership of the Cook County Democratic Party in March will serve to mark the ultimate end of the careers of several longtime Chicago politicians, while ushering in at least three members of the Chicago chapter of Democratic Socialists of America to the party leadership.
Veteran Chicago Democrats face challenges — or bow out — as newcomers demand reform
The races that will shape the leadership of the Cook County Democratic Party in March will serve ...
DEC 03, 2019
Metra is poised to move forward with a Cook County proposal that would clip fares and boost service on its two south-suburban train lines, but CTA leaders remain cool on the idea.
Metra ‘close’ to agreement on south-suburban transit pilot, but CTA waiting for signal clearance
Metra is poised to move forward with a Cook County proposal that would clip fares and boost servi...
DEC 02, 2019
A consulting group hired to oversee Cook County’s census outreach and count hard-to-find residents may have gone too far to avoid overlapping its efforts with federal, state and city programs, according to county officials.
County releases $1.4M for census outreach despite criticism over how grants were awarded
A consulting group hired to oversee Cook County’s census outreach and count hard-to-find resident...
Bio
Solutions reporter, @IllinoisAnswers/@BetterGov. Formerly of @thedailylinechi, @trdchicago & @DNAinfoChi. Amateur baker. Tips: [email protected]
