Q&A: Cook County assessor -- Forrest Claypool

Candidate: Forrest Claypool, Independent, of Chicago

Occupation: Commissioner, 12th District of Cook County. Executive, Rise Health

Civic Involvement: I served on the board of the Open Lands Project; also previously served on the board of CYCLE, a tutoring organization for Cabrini-Green public housing children.

Elected Offices Held: Commissioner of the Cook County Board, 12th district 2002-present. Superintendent of Chicago Park District (1993-1998); deputy state treasurer (1991-1993); chief of staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley (1989-91; 1998-99); deputy commissioner, Cook County Board of (Tax) Appeals (now Board of Review) (1982-83).

What is your No. 1 campaign issue? Taxes. Cook County residents pay enormously high property taxes and a contributing factor to this problem is the insider businesses that hire tax lawyers to reduce their assessments. ... The result: we pay more.

What is your No. 2 campaign issue? Corruption: I have refused campaign contributions from property tax attorneys and employees of the Assessor's office ... Voters can send a powerful message by electing an Independent to this office.

What is your No. 3 campaign issue? Modernization: The practice of assessing and levying taxes on property in Cook County is in need of reform just as much as any other facet of our government. I would look to consolidate and modernize the taxing authorities of Cook County to save taxpayer dollars while promoting more clarity on this process.