Chicago Area’s $19 Billion Tax Bill Fuels Fight for Assessor Job

Chicago’s real estate industry has ignited a battle over a $19 billion tax bill that property owners say is holding back new construction and contributing to surging rents.

Donors have poured $1.4 million in the past six months into the campaign to unseat Fritz Kaegi, the tax assessor responsible for valuing properties in Cook County. Contributors include the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and political action committees tied to hotels, merchants and construction workers. He will face Pat Hynes, backed by many in the real estate industry and the Cook County Democratic Party, in this week’s March 17 Democratic ...