Cook County Assessor's Office Behind In Cleaning Up Hiring Practices
CHICAGO (CBS)-- He ran on a platform of cleaning up the hiring practices in the Cook County Assessor's Office, but Assessor Fritz Kaegi's not doing it fast enough according to a recent court filing.
CBS 2 learned that nearly a year into his administration, there still aren't job descriptions or performance evaluations for employees in the Cook County Assessor's Office.
That's significant because specific job requirements and employee evaluations are crucial to ending the practice of "pay-for-play" political hiring that was once a signature of Chicago.
The Cook County Assessor's Office has been under a court ordered decree barring corrupt hiring practices for more than half a century.
"You know the case was filed in 1969, so a reoccurring frustration is that it takes much longer to get where we want to go," said attorney Brian Hays.
It's a topic that Assessor Kaegi talked to CBS 2 about the night he was elected.
But, the latest review shows progress isn't happening as fast as some may have hoped. Attorney Hays has been on the case for two decades.
"None of the employees in the Assessor's office have ever gone through a performance evaluation," Hays said.
The office had already touched a nerve for thousands of Cook County residents who saw a dramatic increase in the second installment of their 2018 property tax bills.
But, the good news? During a hearing Monday morning, Inspector General Patrick Blanchard said they have no evidence that Kaegi is hiring or promoting on the basis of politics.
Monday, the compliance administrator said while the office isn't perfect they're making considerable strides.
A spokesperson for the Assessor's Office said they are on target to have job descriptions in place by the end of this year.