Chicago News

  • Late Thursday, Assessor Joe Berrios’ office released a brief update on the “independent, non-partisan review of the property tax assessment process,” promising to publicize its results in late February, before voters head to the primaries. The residential assessment review from the Civic Consulting Alliance has operated in obscurity since July, when President Toni Preckwinkle’s office announced it at the tail end of a hearing focused on Berrios’ office.

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  • One Chicago Square by JDL Development, set to be built at Chicago Avenue and State Street. (Photo: Chicago Department of Planning and Development)

     

    A plan to replace the parking lot across the street from Holy Name Cathedral with a pair of towers, one of which would be the city’s sixth tallest building, is one step away from final approval after winning the endorsement of the City Council’s zoning committee after a tense hearing.

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  • Personal PAC, the group dedicated to “recruiting, electing, and holding accountable pro-choice candidates to state and local office in Illinois,” announced its first preliminary endorsements for the 2018 election cycle, while former alderman Dick Simpson released the Cook County iteration of his rubber stamp report.

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  • Mayor Rahm Emanuel escalated his months-long war of words with Indiana-based U.S. Steel Wednesday and fired back at President Trump’s justice department over Chicago’s sanctuary city policy.

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  • Chicago Board of Ethics Executive Director Steve Berlin Wednesday asked Inspector General Joseph Ferguson to clarify his office’s rules regarding the city’s campaign finance limits ahead of the 2019 elections. Berlin wants to know whether Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s executive orders seeking to ban pay to play donations can be enforced.

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  • The City Council’s Zoning Committee 10 a.m. Thursday will weigh a plan to replace the parking lot across the street from Holy Name Cathedral with a pair of towers, one of which would be the city’s sixth tallest building.

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  • While offering few specifics on his own plans, former 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti used his limited talking time reciting budget criticisms raised against Board President Toni Preckwinkle in 2017, and played up her continued support of Assessor Joe Berrios in a one hour endorsement session with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board.

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  • Andrea Raila sits for questioning during a hearing to challenge her petitions for Assessor from Frederick Andrea Raila sits for questioning during a hearing to challenge her petitions for Assessor from Frederick "Fritz" Kaegi. Hearings continue through Friday in the basement of the Daley center. (Photo: A.D. Quig, The Daily Line)


    Correction: This post was updated on Jan. 25, 2018 to correct the spelling of Kaegi's attorney. It is Finko, not Zinko.

    Joe Berrios’ two potential challengers for assessor faced off in the basement of the Daley Center Tuesday afternoon, with arguments and questioning lasting late into the evening, and more hearings scheduled through Friday night.

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  • Environmental regulator and attorney Bridget Degnen said Tuesday Comm. John Fritchey’s attendance record--first reported in the Sun-Times as one of the lowest on the board--a slap in the face to constituents.

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  • With ballots finally settling, campaign mail season is upon us. As is The Daily Line’s tradition, we’ll post the campaign mailers you send us. Please scan or snap a picture of both sides. If possible, obscure your name and home address. Send everything you’ve got to [email protected] and we’ll post them as we get them.

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  • Candidates in contested Cook County races in the March 2018 primary spent more than $2 million last quarter, with one race, for Assessor, accounting for half of that spend. The three Democratic candidates for assessor – incumbent Joe Berrios and challengers Andrea Raila and Frederick “Fritz” Kaegi – spent just over $1 million, according to quarterly reports filed last week with the state board of elections.

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  • Campaign finance reports filed last week with state officials show the Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s fundraising organization is running at a good clip — giving him a head start with $2 million in the bank.

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    • Aldermanic Black Caucus Chair Roderick Sawyer (6) endorsed Assessor Joe Berrios for re-election, per a release sent Thursday afternoon. At an event at Captain’s Hard Times in Chatham, Sawyer said “Berrios has worked with our community and made the assessment process easier for seniors and homeowners. As chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, Joe Berrios has ensured that our party slate reflects the diversity in the Cook County. I’m glad to be supporting him.” Sawyer parted with his Progressive Caucus colleague Scott Waguespack, who endorsed Frederick “Fritz” Kaegi in the Assessor’s race two weeks ago.


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  • Chicago Police need an early warning system to flag officers who had been the subject of serious complaints, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.

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  • The Chicago Plan Commission Thursday endorsed a plan to replace the parking lot across the street from Holy Name Cathedral with a pair of towers, one of which would be the city’s sixth tallest building.

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