Eaton: Local officials play us for fools

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Columnist Fran Eaton says Cook County assessor and county Democratic chairman Joe Berrios and other county and local officials play area residents for fools. | File photo

Updated: January 22, 2012 8:16AM

This Christmas, it will be difficult for Cook County property owners not to be caught muttering “Bah, humbug!” when they think about their property tax bill.

For anyone who pays into an escrow account along with their mortgage payment each month, there’s an understandable dread about the bill rising as much as 25 percent.

If you’re a senior citizen on a fixed income, that kind of tax hike could drive you from the home that you’ve worked so hard for so long to own and enjoy in your sunset years.

Add to that insult that Cook County property values have declined by about the same percentage during the past four years. Definitely “Bah, humbug!”

We Cook County taxpayers should be outraged. The problem is that most of us are not. Many aren’t even aware of what’s going on. If they are, they haven’t organized enough to make a difference. Yet.

Combine those higher tax bills with the state’s new 67 percent income tax increase and for some Cook County homeowners that could be more than $2,500 more we’ll be paying to local and state government next year. For most of us, that’s a sizeable portion of our family budget that won’t be spent at supermarkets, other retail stores and restaurants.

The reasons why the Scrooge mood prevails among Cook County taxpayers are numerous, but rarely does our angst rise to the level of doing something about it.

Why should we?

The powers-that-be who control the county board and county offices as well as the board of review (which hears tax assessment appeals) are all Democrats and so solidly in place that few, if any, challenge them during elections. It’s meaningless for the most part, and those in power know it. Welcome to the “benefits” of one-party rule.

Even the county ethics commission decided there was nothing it could do about lawyers representing clients before the board of review also generously donating to board members. Former board of review Commissioner Joe Berrios, who’s now county assessor and the county Democratic chairman, told the Sun-Times it was insulting that anyone would think political contributions would influence board decisions on property assessment appeals. Really?

Cook County taxpayers should be upset that clout-heavy insiders have a leg up in lowering their property assessments. We should care that when our business or residential neighbors get a property tax break, it ends up falling on the rest of us taxpayers to make up the revenue loss.

That’s exactly why the county needs ethical people in office. Maybe what they’re doing in getting the wink-and-nod political contributions is totally legal, but is it ethical? Is it fair? Is it right?

A few months ago, I told the story of how our credit card was ripped off and how we were shocked to discover several hundred dollars missing from our bank account before we realized what was going on. We were angry, frustrated and felt violated. We filed a report with police, who told us there was little chance the crooks would be found.

There’s nowhere to file a police report about the rip-off we’re experiencing as taxpayers in Cook County and in Illinois. But there is a way to voice outrage and frustration, to let the powers-that-be know that you’re angry, frustrated and feeling violated.

How? Check with your local elementary, high school and community college school district to find out when its next school board meeting will be. Go to it. Listen. During the public comment period, tell them you are frustrated and angry, that you will be paying attention and will know about every budget increase they propose. Tell them you’re going to hold them accountable for the tax dollars you entrust to them every year.

Then attend your city council or village board meeting and tell its members the same thing. That you’re tired of seeing higher tax rates, more bond issues and referendums, that you’re keeping watch on them and will vote in the next election.

Changing our oppressive political climate starts in your neighborhood, your block, your subdivision. Making Cook County a better place to live and work and run a business depends upon average people like you and me setting aside time amid our busy lives to get actively involved in our communities and local governments.

The song says there’s no place like home for the holidays. And there’s no place like our hometowns to begin to change the frustrating political world around us — starting now.

I’m tired of feeling like, Bah, humbug!

Fran Eaton is a Southland resident who co-founded and edits the conservative political blog, illinoisreview.com