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Save B&BS - Say NO to Joe Berrios

166 Comments

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Jonathan leopoldo
10 years ago

No to reclassification of b&b properties

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Sherrie Wilks
10 years ago

Totally against this the small business is barely making it they had no help when loans where being modified no help for the commercial loans they r struggling do why add more problems

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Susan Matyus-Ehrlich
10 years ago

Joe Berrios is the most self-serving, selfish 'politician' Chicago has seen in a long time. I predict that he will be the next to be indicted for corruption and improperly hiring family members. He must be getting paid-off from from hotels....

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ILISA FARRELL
10 years ago

How can you change the property tax class for B & Bs, when it should be similar to residential income (2-4 units).

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Diane ponder
10 years ago

Bed and Breakfast are a major role in our city, local and personal

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Pat King
10 years ago

If you want visitors to Chicago, you must allow B&B's to exist. They cannot do so if overtaxed as proposed.

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Mike Maczka
10 years ago

As a former commercial real estate appraiser, I don't see how the Assessors reclassification has any economic merit. B&B's are not a distinct "asset class" with an abundant number of real estate sales needed for valuation purposes. Rather, when sold they trade as single-family homes, 3-flats, or whatever the underlying property represents. (Anything extra for the business if being continued is purchased separately not as part of the real estate.) So assessing B&Bs as a distinct commercial property type makes no sense. B&Bs are simply home-based businesses. It would be like assessing as commercial any single-family where the owner maintains a home office and meets with clients. Ridiculous! In addition, a reclassification would cause a conflict with local licensing and zoning laws, which don't allow commercial uses mixed into the residential districts where B&Bs are now legally located. So either way one of the last "small entrepreneur" entities adding to neighborhood vibrancy will be put out of business.

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Catherine Schwalbe
10 years ago

Be fair to small businesses. Stop the 25% tax. Unreasonable!!!

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Sally Baker
10 years ago

I am a former B&B owner in Chicago. Prior to closing my B&B, I was paying over $ 4500. per bedroom per year in Real Estate tax. Add insurance at $1250. per bedroom per year, then add mortgage, cable, electric, gas heat, cleaning staff, food & linen costs.....you work long into the year before breaking even & making a profit. Show us Joe, that you are not the small-minded, grudge-keeping bigot you appear to be. STOP the persecution of 23 small business owners who enrich Chicago neighborhoods. Show us your better side, Joe.

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Mike Bright
10 years ago

Stop this unfair tax brought on by the hotel lobby

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Anonymous
10 years ago

keep it local!

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William Kopp
10 years ago

Please don't eliminate B & B from the Chicago culture. Thank you

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Dortha Jacobson
10 years ago

This would be a disservice to us visitors who enjoy the intimacy of a B & B when we come to see our daughter who does not have the room for us to stay with her.

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Joan McGrath
10 years ago

This is obscene. Why would you try to kill these small businesses? The big hotels make plenty of money so Mr. Berrios, stop lobbying for them and represent all Chicagoans. The Pritkers are NOT hurting for money--raise their taxes instead of small family businesses.

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Darcy
10 years ago

B&Bs are small businesses that provide a unique experience for travelers. Please don't tax them to the breaking point!

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Roxana Pereira
10 years ago

Please keep B&B alive they are people's bred and butter. Thank you

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Judith Cooper
10 years ago

Instead of putting yet more long-term small business owners out of business, please consider collecting appropriate taxes from corporations and the wealthy. It's a drop in the bucket to them.

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Edward Connelly
10 years ago

As a frequent business traveler to Chicago, I prefer to stay at B&B's. The revenue increase you are proposing is not worth the risk of shutting down these valuable, family-owned businesses. Please reconsider the 25% tax.

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Jonathan Burke
11 years ago

I am not a USA citizen but the changes sound draconian.

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Don & Tina Washington
11 years ago

This increase is unfair.