Anthony McCaskill, executive director of the South Suburban Region Black Chamber of Commerce, along with other Cook County residents and various Cook County business owners, are publicly voicing their displeasure of the Cook County Assessor amid skyrocketing tax assessments on businesses and homeowners.
“Five years ago, Assessor Fritz Kaegi pointed many fingers in describing what was known as a system of chaos and anarchy. Today, we have the same but with doses of steroids. The system now lacks leadership, clarity, and balance. As taxpayers, albeit business and homeowners, we have continued to be hoodwinked and blatantly disrespected by the lack of credibility stemming from the Assessor’s office,” says Chairman McCaskill.
Tinley Park Homeowner Jake Mallado adds, “My most recent property assessment has increased to the tune of 190%. I am now faced with an obvious property tax increase which my middle-class income can no longer afford. I have lived in my home for over 20 years and have never had my property assessment anywhere near this alarming rate. Mr. Kaegi has made my life difficult in that this recent tax assessment is having an adverse impact on my ability to live in my home.”
Mr. McCaskill is now organizing groups of individuals throughout Cook County to meet and consider policy and political options due to recent media reports of residential assessments being increased by nearly 216% in some cases. Meanwhile, the business community is still hurting and has yet to recover from the whopping increases on businesses from 2021.
Lisa Smith of Dolton adds, “This current Assessor is all smoke and mirrors. He has had enough time in the office to offer some form of reforms and modifications that make sense to us as property owners. His arrogance is what is most alarming to many of us that have encountered him. Nothing has changed within the Assessor’s office. It’s more of the same dating back 40 years.”
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