Questions about property taxes are following Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker has said he applied only one year to have property taxes reduced for a mansion he bought next to his Chicago home. Pritzker says what he did was common and many people do it every year.
What he didn't mention was that when the Cook County assessor's office reduced his 2015 assessment it made the adjustment retroactive. So Pritzker got about $132,000 in refunds for 2012 through 2014. He'll also pay less this year.
The billionaire let the multimillion-dollar home fall into disrepair then appealed his assessment, saying the property is uninhabitable. He's saved a total of about $230,000. Pritzker also appealed the assessment of his family's residence and had those taxes reduced.
