The case may hinge once again on the finer points of municipal real estate law, but it’s the “disproportionately favorable terms” of the Daley-era agreement, as the Emanuel administration's lawsuit put it, that are really on trial. more ›

The owners of Park Grill in Millennium Park have a sweetheart deal with the Park District — a concession arrangement $275,000 and 4 percent of their gross receipts that frees them from paying gas, water, garbage, and property tax bills, with taxpayers footing the bill for half of the restaurant's construction costs. So why are they looking at getting out of the restaurant business now? more ›

If you're a homeowner in Cook County and saw a sharp increase in your property taxes with your second installment, you're probably wondering how the hell that happened in a depressed housing market. In the city of Chicago, 54 percent of residential property tax bills went up. Before you start tending to your wounds, let's note that the suburbs got hit worse; more than 80 percent of suburban homeowners saw an increase in their second installments. Chances are that if your taxes haven't gone up significantly, you're the exception and not the rule. So why, are you asking, are your property taxes going up now when the value of your home is less than it was three years ago, when the housing market was at the peak of its most recent boom? more ›

Congressman Bobby Rush is not only being sued by New City Bank in an attempt to recover more than $600,000 in mortgage loans, he has a delinquent property tax bill with the County Treasurer's office. more ›

In a press conference held just in time to be upstaged by Tom Dart's announcement that he's not running for mayor, Forrest Claypool, who is running against Joe Berrios for county tax assessor, released a review of where taxes breaks have been granted in the county. more ›

Property owners in Cook County are in for a holiday surprise. Second installment tax bills won't be mailed out until November 22. With a due date of December 22, the bills will be sent out in time for property owners to deduct the taxes from their 2010 income tax returns, but a full month after the general election. more ›

Forrest Claypool, who is running as an independent for Cook County Assessor picked up a slew of endorsements Wednesday, with 9th District Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky leading the day's list. She was joined by several other elected officials who endorsed Claypool over his Democratic challenger Joe Berrios, including outgoing county Assessor Jim Houlihan, Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, State Senator Jeff Schoenberg, State Senator Heather Steans, Alderman Robert Fioretti, Alderman Joe Moore, Alderman Gene Schulter, Alderman Mary Ann Smith, State Representative Robyn Gabel, State Representative Harry Osterman, Committeeman Michele Smith and former Senator Carol Ronen. Claypool was also endorsed by the 43rd Ward Democrats. “It’s time to take politics and clout out of the property tax system in Cook County. It’s time that average homeowners and senior citizens receive the fair treatment they deserve. I’m pleased that the elected officials and organizations supporting me today also believe that these principles are more important than party affiliation,” Claypool said in his remarks. more ›

• Mayor Daley today said that he wouldn't increase property taxes for the 2011 budget.
• Authorities have released the contents of Phil Pagano's suicide note.
• A look at a Naperville-based company who's making some money from BP's clean up efforts in the Gulf.

Mayor Daley lashed out at Chicago aldermen on Tuesday for sending back his proposal to give Chicagoans cash payouts to help ease the hit of increased property tax bills. The mayor's plan would use $35 million of the proceeds from the controversial parking meter lease to give an average of $150 to homeowners. The city council's Finance Committee sent the bill back to City Hall, asking that the mayor revise the scope of his plan, as it currently would extend to homeowners earning $200,000 a year. more ›

Is the City Council growing a spine? That may be the case, as the Finance Committee sent Mayor Daley's plan for property tax relief back to City Hall Monday for revisions. Facing a steep increase in property taxes this year, Mayor Daley (who claimed not to understand how property tax assessments work) has proposed a tax-relief plan - to the tune of $35 million - for homeowners that see their tax bills rise. According to the Tribune, Daley's plan breaks down like this: more ›

Citing the poor economy, Daley announced yesterday that the city wouldn't raise property taxes to fund education, in spite of his threats to the contrary. "Does this plan mean that we are able to expand all the programs we'd like to next year? No. Like every student and parent, I had hoped we'd be able to do more next year," Daley said. "But Chicago taxpayers have been generous and supported our school improvements, and they deserve a break." more ›

With tensions running high downstate over passage of the state budget and capital spending bills, Mayor Daley and schools chief Arne Duncan chimed in Tuesday, warning that a "lack of trust" in Springfield could endanger the quality of life in Chicago. "It's like the Hatfields and McCoys down there, unfortunately. Lack of trust," said the mayor. "I hope they can get around that." Daley and Duncan are hoping the state comes through with an additional $180 million to expand kindergarten, evening classes and foreign-language instruction, as well as other programs in the public schools. Duncan also announced that the school board was canceling its regular meeting this week so that he and other school leaders can head to Springfield to lobby. more ›

Mayor Daley was busy yesterday, rhapsodizing about how much he loves children and why they should have their own museum in Grant Park. He was also busy laying the groundwork for an increase in property taxes to fund education in the city. "We don't want to raise property taxes, we want to avoid that. I want to make it clear, the Board of Education is forced to raise property taxes this year it will be because Springfield forced them to do that," Daley said yesterday during a visit to Hanson Elementary School on the West Side. more ›