* From the Tribune report on the JB Pritzker property tax scheme…
Billionaire Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker improperly received $330,000 in property tax breaks on one of his Gold Coast mansions as part of a “scheme to defraud” taxpayers, Cook County’s top watchdog concluded.
Inspector General Patrick Blanchard’s finding came in a report issued after his office looked into whether Pritzker’s relationship with Assessor Joe Berrios played a role in Pritzker’s property taxes being lowered. […]
Blanchard said the thrust of the affidavits was that there were no working bathrooms from January 2012 to mid-October 2015. However, Blanchard noted, the toilets were removed “per the instructions of M.K. Pritzker” just 10 days before the affidavits were submitted as part of the property tax appeal. Berrios’ office lowered the 6,378-square-foot mansion’s assessed value from $6.3 million to about $1.1 million.
“The county ultimately fell victim to a scheme to defraud, executed in part through the use of the affidavits, and which resulted in the property owner ultimately receiving property tax refunds totaling $132,747.18 for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, as well as additional tax savings of $198,684.85 for the years 2015 and 2016,” Blanchard concluded in his 33-page report, which was dated Friday.
* From Assessor Berrios’ spokesman Tom Shaer…
An absence of plumbing fixtures, for any reason, would not be enough for the Assessor’s Office to grant vacancy reduction based on the home being uninhabitable. We would not have granted the reduction without evidence of a gut rehab, evidence such as the 24 photos and other items which were submitted with the appeal.
All along, those who suggest the Assessor’s Office determination was based on missing plumbing fixtures are being ridiculous.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:15 pm:
Yeah, I’m sure Pritzker is thrilled to have Berrios vouch for him.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:17 pm:
===I’m sure Pritzker is thrilled to have Berrios===
Yup.
lol
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:20 pm:
Toxic defense. Strike two.
- A guy - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:20 pm:
Of all the defenders in the world, look who showed up at this gin joint.
Might want to shoot off a thanks, but no thanks in a hurry.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:22 pm:
It’s not like Berrios can help now in explaining this.
At this point, with a 22 point lead, closing in on 50% in a four-way race, and Rauner well below 30%….
Run the Quincy ads, run the Willowbrook poison ads…stick with Rauner failing and a big GOTV.
This property tax political error needs some serious “Rauner failed” pushback… not Berrios.
Maybe Berrios isn’t trying all that hard to “help”
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:22 pm:
It had occurred to me that perhaps someone from Berrios’ office leaked the report. Perhaps to dispel the notion that they were in cahoots with Pritzker on this, as the report indicates they were not (instead their controls for such things are lax — attention Fritz). Or perhaps they generally weren’t thrilled with the level of loyalty and support Joe got from JB in the primary.
- A Jack - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
Although the IG report did say they found no credible relationship between Berrios and Pritzker. That was one of the parts I found most interesting considering the “corruption” word being tossed about.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:29 pm:
=Maybe Berrios isn’t trying all that hard to “help”=
This.
Pritzker needs to cut a check stat and move on.
- DuPage Bard - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:38 pm:
And Joe Berrios rides in on his white horse to save the day.
- Keyser Soze - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:43 pm:
Does the Inspector General’s report carry any weight? Or, is it just filler for a slow news day.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 2:43 pm:
I am so completely disgusted with every single GOP officeholder or GOP wannabe that this doesn’t bother me at all. Some financial advisor on JB’s team screwed up. He can always just write the check now. It’s no biggie.
- Not It - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 3:29 pm:
So, Berrios defends Pritzker for defrauding the taxpayers? Shocking.
- SSL - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 3:31 pm:
Say it ain’t so Joe.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
Interesting time to have this confidential memo leaked. Regardless, nobody died, so let’s see the ads about dead vets and the governor asserting that they did a great job. Now, he’s linked to a cancer cluster. Oof, he’s going to drop lower.
- Trump or Pritker? - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 3:43 pm:
Today’s NY Times: Mr. Harder sought to distance Mr. [*****] from the tax strategies used by his family, saying [*****] had delegated those tasks to relatives and tax professionals.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Oct 2, 18 @ 4:00 pm:
Yuck.
Now Ursula has her tentacles wrapped around Ariel singing, “Poor Unfortunate Souls”.
Make it stop.