Posted on 09/30/2010 9:34:51 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
A few weeks ago Chicago Magazine published a story that revealed what sure looks like an influence peddling scandal perpetrated by Democrat Cook County Board of Review member Joseph Berrios. The story is filled with the maddeningly typical Chicago corruption. It also seems to implicate his other two fellow board members, Brendan Houlihan and Larry Rogers, Jr -- both Democrats. To date Houlihan has yet to answer to these charges.
The Cook County Board of Review is the office responsible for handling property tax complaints and is responsible for lowering the tax rate if a property merits a reduction. As it happens Berrios, a Board of Review member since 1988, has been rather free with tax reductions for campaign contributors. He also seems to have ignored or skirted multiple rules and regulations by meeting with contributors behind closed doors and illegally filing requests for review. It appears that Berrios initiated a pay to play operation where commercial property owners got reductions in property taxes for campaign contributions to his campaign.
One Berrios associate in particular had some very favorable tax reductions given to him and his clients. Paul Froehlich and a political associate who once worked for Berrios found the Board of Review quite amenable to reductions for several Schaumburg properties the pair represented.
Now a property cannot have its taxes reduced unless at least one other commissioner agrees to the reduction. Meetings arranging the reductions, though, appear to be little else but a rubber stamp affair of the member's recommendations. It is rare that any of the other two board members ever deny a fellow their recommendation. Again, all three board members are Democrats.
I wonder if it’s related to any of the other ongoing scandals there that might implicate the ‘resident.
Influence peddling? In Chicago? Naw. I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding. Nothing to see here.
I don’t think Obama is connected to this but it is a perfect example of the sort of politics he practices. And it is from his home town, where he learned it all.
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