Claypool Makes It On To The Ballot

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jun 29, 2010 2:20PM

In an email to supporters yesterday evening, Cook County Commissioner and independent candidate for county assessor Forrest Claypool announced he will be on the ballot this fall, after Board of Review Commissioner Joseph Berrios decided not to challenge the 90,000 signatures Claypool filed to get on the ballot. "It would be irresponsible to subject either the public authorities or our opponent to the cost, time and effort of litigation, perhaps all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court," Berrios spokesman Manuel Galvan told Chicago Current. "The notion that a review by the Berrios campaign is a definitive assessment of the quality of our campaign’s work is laughable," said Claypool's campaign manager Tom Bowen.

Claypool announced his candidacy earlier this year, declaring that clouted tax-appeal law firms representing big businesses have gotten too cozy with the county offices that set property tax rates, saying that Berrios is "in the pocket of the special interests" and calling him "pay-to-play personified." The election will take place November 2.