ILL-inois: Powerful Chicago alderman and lawyer costs city $3.6 million in tax appeal suits

Of course Chicago taxes are too high. Waste, corruption, cronyism, nepotism, and incompetence are expensive.

Ald. Ed Burke (14th) is a convincing argument for term limits--he's been a member of the City Council since 1969. His predecessor was Joseph Burke. Ed succeeded dad in a special election held after Joseph's death.

For over 25 years, Burke has been chairman of the Finance Committee, the most powerful committee on the Council.

But besides counting and spending taxpayer dollars, Burke makes plenty of his own representing clients who appeal their local property taxes--which includes funds that eventually make it into Chicago's coffers.

A lawyer with pristine ethics would refuse such work.

But not in Chicago.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

As an attorney in private practice, Ald. Edward M. Burke has cost Chicago taxpayers millions of dollars.

Since 2003, Burke and his small Loop law firm, Klafter & Burke, have won more than $18.1 million in property-tax refunds for Chicago property owners, records reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times show.

Burke’s victories have cost City Hall more than $3.6 million in lost revenue.

City Hall gets about 20 cents of every property-tax dollar paid in Chicago. So the city has to pay back 20 cents of every dollar that's refunded.

Burke is chairman of the 14th Ward Regular Democratic Organization. His wife, Anne, is a justice on the state Supreme Court.

What did I say about nepotism?

ILL-inois.

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