Chicago Tribune explains how Democrat boss gouges poor people

Impoverished East Garfield
Park neighborhood

The Chicago Tribune continues its so-far splendid series on that cash cow for the Chicago Machine, the Cook County Assessor's office, the incumbent is county party boss Joseph Berrios. Wealthy property property owners get a better deal than poorer ones. And the big bucks crowd knows how to work the system and appeal their property assessments.

Remember, the Democrats are for "the little guy."

From the Tribune:

Despite its relatively low profile, the position of Cook County assessor is among the most powerful offices in the state, closely affecting the interests of real estate developers and investors, law firms and wealthy homeowners. Some of the state’s most influential political families have been tied to the office or the industry of tax attorneys that has grown up around it; Madigan, Burke, Hynes and Cullerton are among the most prominent.

Berrios got his start in politics as a precinct worker for legendary Ald. Thomas Keane, who was convicted in 1974 on federal mail-fraud and conspiracy charges.

Since then, Berrios has risen into the upper echelons of Illinois Democrats. A former state representative, he currently serves as chairman of the Cook County Democrats. In July, he joined Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where they stood side by side as Illinois delegates cast their votes.

Berrios controls three active campaign accounts where he's raised more than $5 million since 2009, an unprecedented amount for an assessor. More than half of it came from tax attorneys and related businesses, a Tribune analysis of campaign data found.

As WIND-AM's Dan Proft likes to say, "Illinois isn't broken. It's fixed."