Hynes Campaign Targets Kaegi’s Record With New Ads Highlighting Property Assessment Errors (Chicago, IL) – The campaign for Cook County assessor challenger Pat Hynes on Tuesday released two new digital advertisements criticizing incumbent Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s handling of property assessments and arguing that mismanagement in the office has unfairly impacted homeowners and renters across the county.
The ads, titled “Garage” and “Vacant Lot,” spotlight cases in which residential properties were allegedly misclassified under Kaegi’s leadership. According to the Hynes campaign, the ads are meant to illustrate broader concerns raised by a Chicago Tribune investigation that found the Cook County Assessor’s Office misclassified hundreds of properties, resulting in nearly $500 million in missed property value in a single year.
In one ad, a Park Ridge home is shown being incorrectly assessed as a garage, while the other highlights a Norridge residence that was improperly classified as a vacant lot. The campaign says such errors contribute to an unreliable and inequitable property tax system, shifting the burden onto working families.
“These ads highlight Fritz Kaegi’s continued disregard for taxpayers,” said Allison Schraub, campaign manager for Pat Hynes. “Accurate assessments are not optional. They are the foundation of fairness in property taxation, and working families deserve an assessor who will get it right.”
Hynes has served as Lyons Township assessor since 2021 and has more than 30 years of experience in the property tax field. His campaign points to his tenure in the township, where he was recognized for fair and accurate assessments, as evidence of his qualifications. Hynes also previously spent two decades working in the Cook County Assessor’s Office.
In addition to his professional background, Hynes is a certified Illinois assessment officer, a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers, and serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Western Springs Fire Department.
The campaign said Hynes has received endorsements from a range of elected officials, community leaders, and residents who are dissatisfied with Kaegi’s management of the assessor’s office.
The Cook County assessor’s race is expected to focus heavily on issues of transparency, accuracy, and fairness in property taxation, as property owners continue to raise concerns about rising tax bills and assessment practices across the county.
Hynes Campaign Targets Kaegi’s Record With New Ads Highlighting Property Assessment Errors
