Saturday, February 17, 2018

Burke Sideline

  • This is a story about how hot dogs and money are made, Chicago-style.

    Nine months after Ald. Edward M. Burke led the Chicago City Council in approving a nearly $5 million tax deal for Vienna Beef to buy a vacant factory in Bridgeport in 2013, Burke’s law firm got a new client — Vienna Beef.

    It hired the alderman’s law firm to push for property tax cuts on the factory site.

    And Burke’s firm got results. It got Vienna’s property taxes slashed by an average of 70 percent over the next two years, arguing to Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios and the Cook County Board of Review that cuts were merited because the factory wasn’t operating while renovations were underway. That saved Chicago’s biggest hot dog maker a total of $308,460, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis has found.

    On top of that, records show Burke’s firm won a refund of $135,602 of property taxes Vienna had paid when it bought the factory at 1000 W. Pershing Rd., where Sara Lee Corp. used to make Best’s kosher hot dogs.
That $300,000 in taxes might look good in the city coffers about now, on top of the other $135,000. And this is just one of many businesses dealing with Burke's firm. How many others are there? And how many other aldercreature firms are there?

Labels: ,

24 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

On top of those tax breaks, wasn't there also some compensation to them for lost income during the construction at Fullerton/Damen/Elston? And there's a strong rumor they're going to move outside the city, regardless.

2/17/2018 12:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Say it aint so SCC ! You mean this guy is dirty ? Now way. Makes Maldonado and Arena look like Amateurs

2/17/2018 12:07:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wonder what Ed thinks of his baby, the gun registrants, quietly not having to produce identification or any proof of where they stay. A small safety valve, but none the leas, it no longer exists. Chicago further helping the monster run this city in 2018.

2/17/2018 12:17:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't forget to do your 2018 on line ethics test.
This city is a joke.

2/17/2018 12:30:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

With all the strong arm taxes by the state and county-- business have to resort to other ways to save money.

2/17/2018 12:51:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is unbelievable. It sounds so crooked . Meanwhile, we get nickeled and dimed to death with amusement taxes for the tv we watch, 911 taxes, per line cell phone taxes, tobacco taxes, high gasoline taxes , bottled water taxes, Uber taxes, $200 city stickers for a small pickup, red light cameras, garbage fee , speed cameras, parking meters everywhere on the streets that we pay taxes to maintain, taxes that the school board votes in, and on and on. But al least the streets are safe and the school system is top notch. Ha ! When we get a raise, it is quickly erased by ever increasing taxes. The system works for the Burke’s, Madigans, and Berrios’ of the world. In the words of the great George Harrison, If you drive a car ,I’ll tax the street, if you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat, if you get to cold, I’ll tax the heat, if you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.....

2/17/2018 01:25:00 AM  
Blogger The Keesing Bandit said...

Those kosher dogs were the best.

2/17/2018 05:11:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

But wait, didn't our union just endorse berries for another four year term. Will fop come to roll calls to explain it.

2/17/2018 05:27:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

and poor Blago still sits in prison.....

2/17/2018 06:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, this entire mess surrounding property taxes in this county and the influence and deals cut by insiders such as Burke and Madigan is something that has been going on forever. But, the one thing that never gets into the investigative press is why are property taxes so high in the first place? Where does all of the money go? Why can't we have structural reforms in government in this city, this county and in this state? Now , with a campaign on for governor of Illinois, the democrats are campaigning on a " progressive state income tax", which means a high tax on everyone and a tax on pensions and social security. The states that have a progressive tax have rates as high as 13.5%. Buckle up Illinois

2/17/2018 07:41:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

while some politicians want to kill our pensions and force us into a 401k.

2/17/2018 08:19:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wtf ? Talk about kickbacks and ethics violations. The IG will find nothing like the LT scam and the FBI are still going after Russians. No wonder so many people are fleeing this city and state.

2/17/2018 09:09:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Burke's law firm motto is "We're the only firm that can lower your taxes in Chicago". That's their sales pitch when they are stealing business from reputable firms. The Chicago way....

2/17/2018 09:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Politicians who only want to enrich themselves should be lined up and shot! They're supposed to be "public servants" .
Get rid of them and watch crime rates go down.

J.J.

2/17/2018 09:56:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's called the Chicago way don't forget this POS alderscum was mentioned by name in the book, "When corruption was King" by Robert Cooley...

2/17/2018 10:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope the G is looking at this put his ass in jail it has been going on for 40 years

2/17/2018 10:28:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It’s good to be king..🤔. Is it correct to use “firm” and “ hot dog” in the same sentence too?😮

2/17/2018 03:00:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You’re hitting on some mighty sensitive issues here. I wonder if that’s the source of your glitch .

2/17/2018 03:31:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This sounds familiar, par for the course, nothing to see here folks, move along and keep voting dem. What a sham.

2/18/2018 12:37:00 AM  
Anonymous Paul Kersey said...

YEP - there is NO corruption in Chicago. Move on, nothing to see here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME

2/18/2018 04:15:00 AM  
Anonymous IN THE KNOW said...

what's the difference between them and Paulie??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGAmPRxV48

2/18/2018 04:28:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Every time the assessment review of our property comes up, (every three years), we get at least three letters from lawyers and their firms to reduce our assessment for a percentage of the savings. Does the Assessor’s office sell lists or do the they all have people looking for a payday with their computers? Anyone can use the assessors website to file a over assessment online, for free... I have done it.

2/18/2018 10:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

C'mon,it's just a coincidence.

2/18/2018 11:44:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Double fuck you to ed burke

2/21/2018 06:50:00 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

Newer Posts.......................... ..........................Older Posts