News

Commissioner Patlak Endorsed by the Polish American Police Association of Chicago and Illinois

On July 10th, 2020, The Polish American Police Association of Chicago and Illinois endorsed Commissioner Patlak for re-election on November 3rd, 2020.

The Polish American Police Association, P.A.P.A., and President Martin Obrecki are proud to endorse DAN PATLAK on his re-election for Commissioner, Cook County Board of Review District 1. Dan is a great supporter and advocate of law enforcement and has been a P.A.P.A. member for many years. Dan is the current Commissioner and has been since 2010. He has over 21 years of experience with the Board of Review office. Dan’s vast experience and knowledge of the Cook County Board of Review office as well as his commitment to the citizens of Cook County make Dan Patlak the most qualified candidate for Commissioner, Cook County Board of Review District 1. The entire Polish American Police Association wishes Dan Patlak success in his upcoming re- election for Commissioner Cook County Board of Review District 1.

Commissioner Patlak thanks the P.A.P.A. and President Martin Obrecki for their endorsement.

Commissioner Patlak's Letter To The Editor: Work Continues At Board Of Review

This Letter to the Editor can be found in the Journal & Topics Newspaper: https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/letter-to-our-editor-work-continues-at-board-of-review/

As one of three commissioners at the Cook County Board of Review, I would like to take a moment to provide a brief update on operations at the Board amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Without the advanced technology now in use by the Board of Review, most state, county and local government offices have severely scaled back their operations while the Board of Review has offered a stark contrast by diligently continuing its work for the people of Cook County. Board services have operated uninterrupted, and thanks to the work ethic of our staff, the hardworking people of Cook County have continued to receive results of their 2019 tax year property tax appeals in a timely manner.

On Monday, March 16 during a morning conference call with heads of every county office and department, President Toni Preckwinkle announced that due to the coronavirus, the county building would be closed. Commissioners Larry Rogers Jr., Mike Cabonargi and myself anticipated a week earlier that this might be the eventual decision and put in place a contingency plan to ensure the continuity of the work of the Board. That same afternoon, each commissioner’s staff of analysts met with their supervisors and received instructions that they were to take home their laptop computers, docking stations and monitors. Pre-packaged kits of tech supplies were made available to those who needed them. Instructions on how to connect with the county VPN were given as well, along with information about who to contact if they had any difficulties getting set-up.

By Tuesday morning, 90% of Board analysts were up adjudicating appeal files in their homes and by Wednesday morning every analyst was working at full capacity. That week, the Board as a whole completed over 14,000 appeal files, an amount at the high end of production in the best of circumstances. That production has only increased in the weeks following. While technological difficulties did crop up for individual analysts from time to time, they were quickly addressed by Board management and tech staff.

The fact that the Board of Review has continued operating at full capacity during the shut-down is testament to the implementation of our award-winning Digital Appeals Processing System (DAPS) five years earlier and subsequent upgrades made to it each year thereafter. Not only did the DAPS make it possible to process a record number of appeals, it also provided the flexibility to Board management to allow our employees to work from home. This has included not only analysts but also human resources, payroll, scheduling, IT, balancing personnel and taxpayer services returning phone calls and e-mails from appellants.

As things stand today, the Board of Review is on schedule to finish adjudicating its record 253,000 appeals on or before our originally anticipated date of May 10.

Dan Patlak

Commissioner

Board of Review

Commissioner Patlak Files 13,000 Petitions Signature, 5x More Than Required!

Started our campaign out with a bang this morning as we were first in line and filed thirteen-thousand nominating petition signatures, five times more than the minimum required.

Am looking forward to winning in November so we can continue being a check and balance to the power of the Assessor's office. Board of Review decisions have been and should continue to be free from influence by any outside elected official and/or their agent. Under my leadership the Board will continue to be a venue where aggrieved property owners can receive a fair, professional and unbiased review of their property assessment appeal.

Commissioner Patlak Kicks off his 2020 Reelection Campaign

Last night at the beautiful Valley Lo Club in Glenview Illinois, Commissioner Dan Patlak kicked off his 2020 reelection campaign surrounded by friends and family.  Commissioner Patlak was introduced by Chicago Republican Party Chairman Chris Cleveland.  Commissioner Patlak then presented longtime friend and political activist Chris Cleveland with an amazing commemorative clock from the Cook County Republican Party to thank him for his years of service. Chairman Cleveland recently announced that he is not seeking another term as Chair of the Chicago Republican Party.  Commissioner Patlak then gave a rousing speech and the fundraiser concluded as a resounding success.

North Cook News: Patlak endorses Ives: 'She is a person of integrity'

From the North Cook News:

Everything he knows about former Illinois lawmaker Jeanne Ives tells Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak that she is built for Washington and the U.S. Congress.

“The main thing is I know she is a person of integrity, and when she says that she believes in something, she will fight for it,” Patlak told the North Cook News in endorsing Ives in her run against U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) in the 14th Congressional District.

Patlak said many of the issues Ives is running on, like prioritizing spending, getting illegal immigration under control and protecting the right to life, are the issues he, too, finds to be among the most critical.

“That's the kind of person we need in Washington, not someone who just puts their finger in the air and tries to find out which way the wind is blowing, but someone that’s going to be a leader and stands on principle,” he said.

Ives, who previously served six years as state representative in the 42nd District and narrowly lost out to then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in the Republican primary in 2018, recently delivered a speech before the Palatine Township GOP about the 2020 elections in which she told listeners “your policy agenda doesn’t move forward unless you select the right politician.”

Over 60 members from the Palatine Township group were on hand for the presentation, and Patlak said he's convinced the vast majority of them walked away as sold on Ives as he has always been.

“I think the people at that organization are totally on board with Jeanne’s policy priorities, and they're on board with her campaign,” he said. "From the reaction of the people there, she’s going to get that support.”

Ives is set to face former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti in the Republican primary.

2019 A Safe Haven 5K Run to End Veteran Homelessness

This morning, July 13th, 2019, Team Patlak Republicans participated once again in A Safe Haven's Annual 5K at Montrose Harbor!  Once again, Team Patlak was awarded the top team fundraiser and the largest team!  I want to thank all who participated, big thank you to all our sponsors and folks who donated to this great cause - working to eliminate veteran homelessness. Not just provide a hand out, but a hand up to a better life.  A big shout out to Nellie Vazquez-Rowland, president and co-founder of A Safe Haven, who does an amazing job with this organization, not just today but all year round. Great event, Nellie!

2019 Cook County Board of Review Appeal Session Opens July 1st, 2019

I am pleased to announce the 2019 Assessment Appeal Session at the Board of Review opens July 1, 2019. The first group of townships to open are: Berwyn, Evanston, Norwood Park, Oak Park, Riverside, River Forest, and Rogers Park. These townships are open for assessment appeal through July 30, 2019.

You may file a property assessment appeal online by visiting our websiteYou must have an email address in order to do so. If you filed an appeal online in a previous year and created an account, simply login, include any new evidence you wish to have considered, and submit. I strongly encourage you to create an account when filing online as there are several benefits, including the ability to login and view analysts decisions which provides greater understanding of how a determination is rendered.

If Your Township is not Listed Above
You may pre-file online by visiting the Board of Review website.  Once your appeal has been submitted, you will receive an email confirmation with a complaint number. When your township does open, your appeal will be processed.

PLEASE NOTE: When pre-filing an appeal based on lack of uniformity, only search for comparables for evidence AFTER the Cook County Assessor certifies your township.  If you are not sure if the Assessor has completed your township, check the Dates and Deadlines schedule found on the Cook County Assessor’s website: Dates & Deadlines

Proposed laws would assure fairness on Board of Review by Commissioner Patlak - Guest Columnist at the Daily Herald

Commissioner Dan Patlak penned an Opinion piece for the Daily Herald entitled Proposed laws would assure fairness on Board of Review.

At the Cook County Board of Review, where we adjudicate property tax appeals, there are three co-equal commissioners who represent three separate geographic districts, each comprising 1.7 million residents.

Each commissioner's staff does the exact same amount of work. That's because every appeal that comes to the board (regardless of what district the property owner is from) is reviewed by one analyst who works for each commissioner. It is incredibly problematic that the two Chicago commissioners have taken it upon themselves to place three-fourths of all analyst positions under their personal control.

Through a recent article by Daily Herald Watchdog Columnist Jake Griffin and two editorials by the newspaper, suburban residents have learned about the inequitable distribution of resources and personnel that is occurring at the Cook County Board of Review.

This action by my two colleagues who represent majority Chicago districts to monopolize personnel at the board is bad for the reputation of our office as a bipartisan entity where aggrieved property owners can receive a fair, thorough and unbiased review of their tax appeal. The Daily Herald has characterized this action as an example of "partisan bullying," but it is much worse than that.

The three-member Board of Review was created in 1996 by an act of the General Assembly to replace the old two-member Board of Appeals to provide equal representation to suburban residents because the two members were elected at large and always from Chicago.

The recent transfer of power through misappropriation of resources is an attempt to bring us back to the old Board of Appeals. At a time of stagnant property values and rising property taxes, this is an issue that concerns every resident of Cook County and especially every suburban resident who is now being deprived of the representation the legislature intended to provide for them back in 1996 and which they deserve. The unfortunate results of this power grab are the following:

  • One-third of taxpayers are under-represented
  • All taxpayers are underserved
  • The system of checks and balances in the adjudication of appeals has been undermined
  • The original intent of the legislation has been trashed
  • The integrity of the appeal process is under attack
  • My ability as your suburban representative to carry out my statutory duties has been diminished

This has all happened because two commissioners have chosen to act in their own self-interest instead of the interests of taxpayers and because of the broadness and vagueness of the original statute creating the Board.

The two Chicago commissioners are resolute in their desire to exercise monopoly control over personnel and thus policy at the board. The only remedy for this situation is through action by the General Assembly.

Two identical bills have been introduced in the Senate and House. They are SB 124 and HB 354. They are pure good government, non-partisan pieces of legislation that will benefit all taxpayers, and they have no down side.

The legislation is one sentence that amends the original language creating the Board of Review, "Upon establishing the compensation of board of review employees fixed by the county board, the county shall, at all times, ensure that each of the commissioners on the board of review receives equitable resources and staffing."

In 1776, the cry went out that there should be no taxation without representation. That is exactly what is happening now due to a loophole in the Board of Review creation statute. The current personnel allocation at the Board defies logic, fairness, equity and any common sense understanding of equal representation.

Passage of HB354 and SB124 can solve that problem now and for future generations. It is up to members of the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate to right the wrong that is happening at the Board of Review.

I encourage all residents to contact their state senator and representative and ask them to vote for HB354 and SB124, the Board of Review Equitable Resources bill.

Daily Herald Editorial: Board of Review should rethink where it is putting new hires

by The Daily Herald Editorial Board

Why would anyone in Cook County want to slow the property tax appeals process?

That is precisely what we risk, because of a December decision by the Cook County Board of Review to unevenly distribute 11 new analysts inside the Board. Ten new analysts about to be hired by the Board of Review will be assigned to the two Democratic commissioners on the board, leaving the one Republican member with fewer staffers.

As our watchdog reporter Jake Griffin explained last week, the Cook County Board of Review -- whose job is to process the glut of property assessment appeals filed every year in the county -- has been told by the Cook County Board it can hire up to 16 new employees: 11 now, funded by attorney's fees -- and five more later, funded by the county board. To keep up with demand, employees at the review board are already working mandatory 50-hour weeks, according to Commissioner Michael Cabonargi.

As we editorialized Tuesday, we have serious questions about an assessment system that causes a quarter of all property owners in Cook County to file appeals. Today, however, we take issue with how the additional help is being apportioned.

The Board of Review has three elected members, Democrats Cabonargi and Larry Rogers, and Republican Dan Patlak, from Wheeling. Each commissioner has his own staff of analysts and is elected in his own district -- in Patlak's case, primarily by suburban voters.

Each appeal is analyzed independently three times before a decision is made -- by analysts from each commissioner's staff. All three commissioners eventually vote on any assessment change.

Cabonargi says he and Rogers need more staff because property owners in their districts -- primarily Chicago -- need more outreach to learn about the property assessment appeal process.

We don't buy it. There are plenty of appeal-savvy property owners in the suburbs, yes, but there are many people who have no idea about the process. When Patlak's staffers hold appeals seminars throughout the suburbs, it is a valuable service -- as valuable here as it is in the city.

More worrying, however, is the delays this will inevitably cause in the appeals process. Since every staff handles the same number of appeals, it stands to reason that Patlak's smaller staff will be slower to get the job done. Or, even more frightening, they will rush through appeals.

"My biggest concern is not only the fairness of the distribution of labor but that the work gets done on time," Elk Grove Township Assessor Connie Carosielli told Griffin. "If a taxpayer can't expect equitable distribution of staff looking at their appeal, why would they expect an equitable examination of that appeal?"

That's hitting the nail on the head. In December, Patlak tried to persuade Cabonargi and Rogers to distribute the new hires in a way that would given them 30 analysts each, only to have his "Fair Hiring Plan Resolution" shot out from under him.

It's time for Cabonargi and Rogers to reconsider, for the good of the appeals system in Cook County.

Daily Herald Editorial: Board controversy is symptom of greater problems in property assessment

by The Daily Herald Editorial Board

The political dust-up on the Cook County Board of Review is a travesty of partisan bullying, but it is also more than that. It is at its source a vivid depiction of defects in Illinois' and Cook County's property assessment system that are so fundamental and far-reaching they demand urgent and concentrated attention.

In the Cook County case, the two Democrats on the three-person Board of Review that investigates property tax assessment appeals took all but one of 11 newly authorized positions for themselves. In the process, they rejected a proposal from the Republican commissioner -- Dan Patlak of Wheeling -- that would have created parity in the distribution and pay of the new hires.

The very fact that the Cook County Board saw the board's need for substantially more help to manage a four-year backlog of appeals -- and knew it could be paid for out of increased fees placed on lawyers handling the appeals -- is a tacit acknowledgment that the property tax appeals process in Illinois, and especially Cook County, is essentially a cottage industry for legal work.

During his successful campaign for assessor, Democrat Fritz Kaegi, who was inaugurated in December, noted that the volume of appeals filed against Cook County property assessments was as high as 25 percent. By some estimates, appeals of Cook County assessments win on the first try more than 50 percent of the time, a rate that can reach even higher when rejections are appealed. A Chicago Tribune ProPublica joint report in December 2017 demonstrated how manipulations of the state's property tax system often siphon property tax burdens away from wealthy commercial and residential taxpayers and put them on the backs of small businesses and the poor.

No system of estimating property values will be foolproof. Some complaints are bound to be raised by people and businesses who believe they have been treated inconsistently or unfairly, and some small number of those appeals might expect to succeed. But in Cook and virtually any collar county in Illinois, the numbers show that it is all but crazy not to appeal.

Any process that produces this level of frustration and dispute is clearly rotten at its core and needs wholesale review and reform.

Kaegi announced political reforms in the Cook County Assessor's Office that are surely welcome, and he proposed the legislature demand greater accountability from commercial interests that appeal. Elsewhere, numerous calls have been raised for lawmakers to prohibit politicians who are lawyers from doing work on property tax-appeals cases.

All these are reasonable places to start. But in general, they address only symptoms of the chronic faults in the state's property assessment system. The fact that the Cook County Board of Review needs at least 11 additional employees -- the county authorized five more if enough fees are collected to support them -- just to try to make a dent in a four-year backlog of appeals is by itself an indictment of the entire process. Lawmakers who care about property tax reform acknowledge that, then look beyond mere blemishes and address the entire corrupt and unfair system.

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