Schaumburg hotel sues over tax assessment allegations
The owners of a Schaumburg hotel have filed a federal suit against the Cook County Board of Review, Fox WFLD-TV Channel 32 and the Illinois Review over allegations of a tax assessment deal involving state Rep. Paul Froehlich.
Sharad and Hanish Dani, owners of Satkar Hospitality and the Wingate by Wyndham Schaumburg Convention Center, filed the suit Sunday charging they had been deprived of their civil rights by the Board of Review and defamed by media coverage.
Stories broke last year questioning whether Froehlich, a Schaumburg Democrat, had helped local property owners arrange lowered assessments with the Board of Review in exchange for political favors and campaign contributions. According to the suit, a Channel 32 report by Dane Placko, also named as a defendant, specifically charged the Danis with bribing Froehlich, and the story was picked up by the Illinois Review blog.
The suit said the “plaintiffs never engaged in any illegal or improper behavior with Froehlich, and he “never promised plaintiffs a reduction in their property taxes in exchange for campaign contributions. Froehlich too has denied the charges.
An assessment reduction that the suit said was worth $40,000 a year in property taxes was subsequently rescinded by the Board of Review, and the case has been under investigation since, although no criminal charges have yet been filed.
The suit charged the Board of Review with violating the Danis' rights in overturning the assessment reduction and denying appeals for reductions this year. It also charged the board “red-flagged their case with the Illinois Property Tax Appeals Board.
“I welcome it, Froehlich said of the suit, adding that he hoped it would prove there was nothing untoward in his support for the assessment reduction and that the investigation was “fabricated for political reasons.
“I look forward to seeing this play out, he added.
A spokeswoman for Fox said, “We are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing it. An attorney for the Board of Review said he couldn't comment until he saw the suit.
The suit was filed by Chicago attorney R. Tamara de Silva, who is also pursuing a federal racketeering case against the Board of Review on behalf of Victor Santana, a former Berrios aide who also was accused of being sinvolved in the assessment reductions.