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Statement from Commissioner Dan Patlak Upon Certification of the 2020 General Election

For ten great years I have had the distinct privilege of serving the people of Cook County as a commissioner at the Board of Review. During that time, the Board has made meaningful progress in improving services for taxpayers. I came into office with a list of ideas on how to improve efficiency, accessibility and transparency. Most of the ideas on that list and many more are now a reality.

I have delayed making this statement while I made repeated written and oral requests for the Cook County Clerk to reconcile the nearly 75,000 discrepancy between the ballots counted post-election versus the number of ballots the Clerk’s own records say should exist. While I am not suggesting that any irregularities have occurred, their failure to do so much as respond to my requests gives me little confidence that they executed their duties with precision. This failure in transparency is regrettable because it affects the public perception of the competence of our election apparatus. Hopefully, the Clerk’s office will offer, and soon, a full accounting of their actions.

My goal from the beginning was to serve the public by executing my duties with integrity and I leave office with hope that the people of Cook County believe I have achieved that goal. Members of my staff, both current and past deserve much credit for helping to make our ten year stay a success and I want to thank them for their hard work and dedication. There are many throughout the county who volunteered, contributed and provided their support without whom I would not have been elected and re-elected. I will always be grateful for their help.

I wish the very best for Tammy Wendt as she assumes the duties of commissioner of the first district. I have spoken to her to offer my congratulations and offered my cooperation as she transitions into the office. She will find as I did, it is not always an easy job but it can be rewarding.

Thank you to every property owner, taxpayer and citizen for allowing me to serve you.

Dan Patlak

2020 General Election Radio and Mailer Ads

Dan Patlak, Commissioner of the 1st District of the Cook County Board of Review, produced three radio spots and two mail pieces for the November 3rd, 2020 General Election.  We are pleased to present these here.

Chicago Tribune Endorsement: Dan Patlak for Cook County Board of Review

Commissioner Dan Patlak was endoresed by the Chicago Tribune today.

Dan Patlak, right, Cook County Board of Review commissioner, waits with other Cook County candidates to file their nominating petitions with the Cook County clerk's office on Nov. 25, 2019, in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
Dan Patlak, right, Cook County Board of Review commissioner, waits with other Cook County candidates to file their nominating petitions with the Cook County clerk's office on Nov. 25, 2019, in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

When taxpayers of suburban Cook County object to their property assessments, they often end up appealing to the Board of Review, a three-member panel of elected officials who serve as a check on the county assessor’s office. The board hears appeals and can help property owners save money on their tax bills. So pay attention.

Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak of Wheeling serves the 1st District well, which stretches from the far northwest suburbs to the far southwest suburbs. He is endorsed for reelection.

Frankly, we don’t know many elected officials who get as animated and engaged about property taxes and saving money for homeowners and businesses as Patlak. For him, this is not a steppingstone, token county job. Patlak dramatically improved technology and transparency in the office, professionalized his staff, and even during COVID shutdowns that froze most Cook County services, he figured out how to get his employees working full time from home on property tax appeals.

Patlak faces Tammy Wendt, a lawyer from Palos Heights, who says she wants to make the appeals process easier and more accessible for low- to middle-income families. The fact is, Patlak has already done that. Voters, don’t change what’s working. Patlak has earned another term.
 

Fran Sitkiewicz, C.I.A.O., Riverside Township Assessor Endorsement: Patlak brings fairness and integrity to Board of Review

Riverside Township Assessor Fran Sitkiewicz, C.I.A.O. penned a letter to the editor of the Riverside - Brookfield Landmark:

Rarely do we take the opportunity to write an open letter to our constituents. However, with the coming election cycle we are moved to acquaint you with a candidate with whom we have had the benefit of an extraordinarily positive professional relationship. That candidate is Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak.

Commissioner Patlak is a certified Illinois assessment officer, and the previous assessor of Wheeling Township. He regularly attends the Cook County Township Assessor's Association meetings and shares his expertise so that we can interface more effectively with our own taxpayers. 

He generously takes time on a yearly basis to provide educational outreach programs to our homeowners, supplying them with the information needed to make a successful appeal to the Board of Review. He is prompt to return phone calls and emails so that situations can be resolved in a timely manner. 

He has adopted technology at the Board of Review to make the appeal process user-friendly, more accessible and more transparent. His sense of fairness and integrity are traits you should demand for all elected officials. These are the characteristics of a committed and diligent public servant.

In a time of political divisions, Commissioner Patlak assists all of his constituents regardless of political party, locality, economic status, race or gender. He provides a political balance in our property tax system.

It is for all of the above reasons that we support the re-election of Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak.

Fran Sitkiewicz, C.I.A.O.

Riverside Township assessor

Daily Herald Endorsement: Dan Patlak for Cook Board of Review

Commissioner Patlak received the endorsement of the Daily Herald.

The Cook County Board of Review functions almost without notice, except for times of controversy, but it plays an important role in reviewing appeals of assessment office findings related to property values.

It consists of three commissioners, and for the past 10 years, the commissioner in the 1st District, which represents the Northwest suburbs as well as many South suburbs, has been Dan Patlak, a former Wheeling Township assessor with strong real estate credentials.

Patlak, one of the few Republicans still holding office in Cook County government and the only one on the Board of Review, is being opposed in his bid for reelection by Democrat Tammy Wendt, a Palos Heights real estate attorney with no prior political experience.

She has turned this campaign into a referendum on the assessment reform being instituted by her fellow Democrat, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi.

Kaegi is trying to end the political favoritism many commercial property owners received during the years Joe Berrios ran the office, and to his credit, Patlak is operating as commissioner in accordance with those reforms.

Wendt maintains that commercial property owners are being abused by the reforms, but frankly, they have been intended to create more balance between private and commercial property assessessments.

There's no question in this race who merits our endorsement: Patlak, far and away.

He speaks with professionalism about the review process and with passion about the agency's mission to assure fairness to all three interests served by the board -- the homeowners and businesses seeking tax reductions, the government bodies that depend on tax money, and the general population whose tax bills ultimately are affected by the decisions the board makes.

During Patlak's time in office, technological advances have enabled the board to handle cases more efficiently and quickly than ever.

And as we have said in the past, Patlak approaches the job as a commissioner whose responsibility is to rule the way the evidence and numbers tell him to rule.

We give him our strong endorsement.

Chicago Sun Times Endorsement: Dan Patlak for Cook County Board of Review, 1st District

Commissioner Patlak was endorsed by the Chicago Sun Times.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an earthquake for Cook County’s system of property assessments, upon which property tax bills are based. In the race for the Cook County Board of Review District 1 seat, Republican Dan Patlak has a clearer idea of what needs to be done to get assessments in line with how property values have changed than his Democratic opponent, property tax appeals lawyer Tammy Wendt. Wendt is too comfortable with the current overall system, which is insufficiently transparent.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi has been working to align property assessments with the change in property values caused by the pandemic. The Cook County Board of Review hears appeals of Kaegi’s work and has been criticized for undermining Kaegi and being less than transparent in its decisions, which affect every property taxpayer. We endorse Patlak in the Nov. 3 election because he is less openly opposed to Kaegi’s efforts and because, of the board’s three commissioners, he is the only Republican. The board needs a check on Democratic hegemony.

Patlak’s experience includes 10 years as a commissioner and seven prior years as an assessment appeals analyst. He worked to create the Board of Review’s first Freedom of Information Act page on the board’s website, making it easier to request information.

Cook County’s assessment system is broken, with nearly a quarter of a million appeals filed last year, bogging the system down and diverting money from schools and parks into legal fees. Moreover, too many dollars from property tax lawyers who appear before the Board of Review find their way into the commissioners’ campaign coffers, which unfortunately alarms neither of these candidates. We’re not holding our breath, but Patlak holds out the better hope of improving the system.

Watch Patlak, Wendt in feisty Board of Review Debate with the Daily Herald

Commissioner Patlak participated in the Daily Herald's endorsement debate.

The two candidates battling for a position on the Cook County Board of Review engaged in a feisty debate in a Zoom joint interview with a member of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.

Making the case for their candidacies in a 45-minute discussion of commercial property assessments and other issues were longtime Republican incumbent Dan Patlak of Wheeling and Democrat Tammy Wendt of Palos Heights.

They're competing for the commissioner post from the suburban first district. The board considers appeals property owners make over assessed valuations.

2020 Endorsements

Commissioner Dan Patlak has received the following endorsements:

Newspapers

Elected Officials

Citizen Supporters

Citizen Groups

  • Latinos of Berwyn/Cicero Organization

Commissioner Patlak Hosts the Cook County Board of Review's First Ever Online Property Tax Appeal Seminars

Commissioner Dan Patlak has begun hosting online Property Tax Appeal Seminars in order to continue outreach to his constituents. Now everyone is able to easily participate from the comfort of their own home. Please check the Cook County Board of Review's website for a schedule of upcoming Events.

The Winnetka-Glencoe Patch has an article about the webinars.

In anticipation of the opening of an appeal period for New Trier Township property owners, Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak has scheduled property tax assessment appeal webinars for taxpayers who wish to appeal their 2020 property tax assessments.

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the outreach seminars this year will be held online for the safety and convenience of the public and the Board of Review staff.

 

New Trier Township Assessor Jan Churchwell is pleased to co-sponsor these virtual presentations along with Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin and Winnetka Village President Chris Rintz. The hour-long sessions will educate taxpayers on how to properly file a tax appeal with the Board of Review. You may attend more than one presentation.

 

Analysts on Commissioner Patlak's staff will be present online via chat to answer specific questions and concerns.

 

The events are free to the public, and there is no fee to appeal at the Board of Review.

 

The webinars will be held on:

Thursday, August 27-11:00 AM & 6:00 PM

Thursday, September 3-11:00 AM & 6:00 PM

Thursday, September 10-11:00 AM & 6:00PM

https://event.webinarjam.com/c...

 

If you require local assistance or have property tax questions, Deputy Assessor Len Shifflett and Assessor Churchwell are available to assist with filing appeals or providing information about comparable properties, recent sales, or detailed instructions for filing online. Residents that recently purchased a property in a market-based transaction at a price lower than the Cook County Assessor's determination of value can also receive assistance filing an appeal. You may also file your appeal online by following the procedures on the Board of Review's website: www.cookcountyboardofreview.com.

 

Although the New Trier Township Assessor's office remains closed to the public, assistance is available via telephone (847) 446-8200 or email at jchurchwell@newtriertownship.com or at lshifflett@newtriertownship.com.

Commissioner Patlak Participates in the 2020 A Safe Haven 5K

For A RECORD 7th YEAR IN A ROW, Commissioner Dan Patlak won the Largest Team & Top Fundraising Team Awards!!!

Due to the pandemic, this year A Safe Haven's annual 5K at Montrose Harbor adapted with the times and was relaunched as the Inaugural Global Virtual Run/Walk to End Homelessness happening all this week to raise money for A Safe Haven. Thanks to all who came out this morning to Lake Arlington to run with Team Patlak! Special thanks to Neli Vazquez Rowland, Founder of A Safe Haven, for joining us!

Every Year, The Dan Patlak Repulicans Team Starts To Recruit Members and Raise Funds To Help Support Our Military Veterans, Early!! This Year his team WON Again by recruiting a team of 59 RUNNERS!! WOW!

Please take a moment to read this message from Neli & Brian Rowland, ASH Co-Founders & the A Safe Haven Team

Dear Friends and Family,

WOW! We really did it! Please take a moment to click here to watch the closing ceremony to relive the moments of the 10th Year Anniversary & the Inaugural GLOBAL Virtual RUN/WALK To End Homelessness! I promise you will be inspired when you hear the touching and tearful grateful testimonials of people transforming their lives from homelessness to independence because of you and all of us working together on a common goal and mission to lift up the lives of all humanity. Whether you were a sponsor, runner, walker, donor or a social media warrior and shared the information about this important event with friends and family near and far and as you took the time to cheer on our team who works faithfully and tirelessly as first responders everyday and especially now during COVID-19 on behalf of the homeless & unsheltered, every day of the year. We are humbled and appreciate those of you who took the time out of your busy schedules to do something on behalf of the cause and to help us empower the lives of the least among us. Now, please sit back take a moment bask in the glow of having done your part to help make this a better world for those in need today for a better tomorrow for all of us! Sleep well...

Thank YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS & God Bless!
Love, Neli & Brian Rowland, ASH Co-Founders
& the A Safe Haven Team

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