To reverse the damage caused by the incumbent Assessor Fritz Kaegi, we will create a new public-facing department within the Cook County Assessor’s Office dedicated to encouraging responsible investment in our communities.

The Department of Economic Development will partner with local aldermen and suburban mayors to bring greater certainty and transparency to the assessment process for projects that grow our communities.

Healthy real estate markets depend on investment, growth, and predictability. Attracting investment to Cook County creates jobs, produces the housing we need, and expands the tax base—reducing the individual property tax burden for every taxpayer. Growth is good. Investment is good. More jobs strengthen our economy, and more housing supply puts downward pressure on rent increases.

Yet Cook County’s growth and recovery have lagged behind our peers. There are more construction cranes in the sky over Ann Arbor, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; Nashville, Tennessee; and Columbus, Ohio than here at home. The dismal performance of the incumbent assessor has helped create an environment that discourages investment instead of attracting it.

Investors in Cook County have been subjected to wild and unpredictable swings in property tax assessments—and the resulting tax burden. When the Assessor’s Office makes it impossible to reliably estimate future assessments, it becomes far more difficult to invest here. Volatility in assessed values complicates underwriting for construction loans, makes attracting capital harder, and ultimately constricts housing supply. The result is higher housing costs, rising rents, and increased pressure on working families.

If there is a plan to build a large warehouse, a multi-story residential development, or new single-family homes, the Assessor’s Office should be prepared to model the project and provide clarity about the expected property tax burden. We will help investors understand what to expect during construction, during lease-up, and once the project is fully operational.

We will get Cook County building again—expanding housing supply, easing rent pressure, creating jobs, and lowering the property tax burden for the taxpayers who are already here.