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Christopher Silber

@csilber.bsky.social
585 followers 193 following 166 posts

In the weeds | Chicago housing and property tax system research | UIC | DePaul | geography, journalism, etc. | He/Him | Views = my own

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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I enjoy that there are two competing Harold's food trucks at Daley Plaza
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
We published the Cook County Treasurer's Office 2025 Tax Year Bill Analysis! The report analyses bill changes across the county and reviews data from the reassessment of the North suburbs. Read the (interactive!) analysis and view the maps/data here: www.cookcountytreasurer.com/researcharti...
Screenshot of 2025 Bill Analysis StudyScreenshot of Bill Analysis Map Dashboard showing bill changes in Arlington HeightsScreenshot of Data Dashboard showing 30 years of property tax changes in Cook CountyChicago Tribune Front Page, Monday August 24, 2026
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
The city hall Farmers Fridge hates to see me coming
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Thinking of the newly placed "ice 4 scream!" vending machine in the pedway
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
If the train car lights are partially out, you need to take a calculated risk. You're more likely to get a seat, but the AC is almost certainly broken
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
kingdom hearts but it's me and the boys shooting hoops
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I will not tolerate Donald Duck slander
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I think the odyssey should be on the great lakes
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Love a work commute through the haze of wildfire smoke
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
good afternoon
A horse staring out into the ocean with a caption than says "MAN"
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Oh, to walk outside for lunch and enjoy a farmers market tamale while watching a dragon dance on a bright spring in day in downtown Chicago
Dancers at the Daley Plaza Farmers Market in Chicago
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The good people at the Cook County Assessor's Office just released the initial 2024 update for PTAXSIM! This release required a lot of work for them to account for the new TIF calculation method and changes to the county's source data. Excited to test out the new update! github.com/ccao-data/pt...
github.com
GitHub - ccao-data/ptaxsim: R package for estimating Cook County property tax bills
R package for estimating Cook County property tax bills - ccao-data/ptaxsim
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Spot the difference
Chris's cat with her eyes covered to look like Gojo in jujutsu kaisenGojo from jujutsu kaisen
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
happy Friday everyone
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
I like how meteorologists can do something cool like predict the size of hail that rains down from the sky and then have to be like "it's kinda golf ball sized?" when they explain it
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Reposted by Christopher Silber
Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 09/03/2026
Property owners in Chicago neighborhoods slammed with big bill increases have come up short paying them in full, according to a new analysis of collection rates from Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office measured roughly a month and a half after the due date.
trib.al
Property tax collection rates drop in Chicago neighborhoods with big bill hikes
Residential property tax collections fell in 11 of the 13 community areas with the highest tax increases in 2024.
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Remember those large residential property tax increases in Chicago's South and West Side? I found that those tax spikes resulted in lower initial collection rates, meaning more homeowners in places like W. Garfield Park, N. Lawndale and Englewood are tax delinquent than last year at the same time:
Graphic from Treasurer's Office Analysis of Tax Year 2024 residential collection rates in Chicago Community Areas, showing a drop in collection rates compared to last year in communities that saw large bill increases
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Found a fun Tribune article from 1995. The newspaper got a hold of the Bears' internal PR strategy for using the media to help the team get a new stadium. And yes, almost exactly 30 years ago the Bears said they were looking at Indiana to persuade Illinois to go in on a new/refurbished stadium
First page of November 8 1995 Chicago Tribune article by Julie Deardorff detailing the Chicago Bears PR strategy for pitching a new stadium to the media. Second page of November 8 1995 Chicago Tribune article by Julie Deardorff detailing the Chicago Bears PR strategy for pitching a new stadium to the media.
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
btw, it looks like the Cook County Clerk published the new PIN-level TIF distribution table on its website. This is the same table I used to do the TIF analysis section of the Treasurer's Office 2024 Tax Bill Analysis. Link here: www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/property-tax...
Screenshot of the Cook County Clerk's website highlighting the new "TIF PIN List" table for tax year 2024
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
I admit today was a bad day to get a flat tire
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
For Chicago TIF data wonks: you might be surprised to find out that Cook County's TIF distribution calculation method changed this year!! In the past, current/frozen EAVs were aggregated at the tax code level to determine an area TIF distribution %. Now, this calc occurs at the property level.
Snippet from the Treasurer's 2024 tax bill analysis noting that the TIF distribution calculation method changed in 2024
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
For this year's tax bill analysis, I revamped our map dashboard! Users can view block-level AV and tax bill changes by property type in any Cook County municipality, Chicago community area, or assessment region. Works on phones, best on a computer! Link: www.cookcountytreasurer.com/taxbillanaly...
Screenshot of the Treasurer's Office 2024 Tax Bill Analysis map dashboard showing a 76.71% tax bill increase for residential properties in North Lawndale.
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Today marks the release of the annual Cook County property tax bill analysis! It wasn't an easy year to put this together, but we hope it helps shed light on changes to your tax bills. You can read the full report and view our data dashboards here: www.cookcountytreasurer.com/taxbillanaly...
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Read my Cook County property tax collections update on the CCTO website! Major topics: -Collections have rebounded after a slow start -Southland residents are struggling -many place still have very low collection rates Read and and peruse the data here: www.cookcountytreasurer.com/pappasportal...
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
I'm not even mad, Yamamoto was so good he deserved to finish it
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
Do new CTA bus stop signs not tell you the number to text 41411?
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
Kinda obsessed with the concept of a pedway sidewalk cafe
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
Bucktown, Chicago (2025)
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Would be cool if they brought back a music venue here. But I don’t have much faith in this landlord
Screenshot of a Google search for the Milwaukee Ave YETI store showing that it is permanently closed
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Every day is muggier than the last
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
Deconverting a 4 unit apartment into a single family home shouldn’t be legal in the city of Chicago
Chicago building permit for the reconversion of a 4 unit, 2.5 story apartment into a single family home
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
Manhattan was light work 😤
Strava showing our walk of manhattan north to south
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
It’s beautiful 😍
Row of buildings in Harlem, New York
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
I have seen the light. Chicago’s bagel/deli desert must be remedied
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
Coming to terms with the fact that I just look severely midwestern
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
What should I do in New York City
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
The CTA is always innovating, today I got the sauna car 🤩
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Scientists believe the universe began at the intersection of Madison and State streets. After some catalyzing event, the universe expanded in all directions in a grid-like fashion, as calculated by comparing street address numbers near the intersection with those further away.
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
FYI - the Cook County Treasurer plans to postpone this year’s tax sale. During the delay, no extra interest will accrue on delinquent taxes subject to the sale. Here’s the press release with more info:
Press Release from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office stating that the office plans to postpone the annual tax sale until March 2026 once legislation passed by the Illinois General Assembly officially becomes law. The postponed sale will allow the office more time to work with state legislature to pass comprehensive property tax foreclosure reforms. During the delay, no extra interest will be added to delinquent taxes subject to the sale.
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Reposted by Christopher Silber
Chi Hack Night @chihacknight.org · 03/06/2025
Join us at i.c. stars or online tonight to hear from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office about their new study, which found that the Cook Co. property tax assessment appeals system disproportionately burdened lower-income, Black and Latino homeowners. Doors open @ 6pm chihacknight.org/events/2025/...
chihacknight.org
In-person and Online: Cook County Treasurer's Office - Chi Hack Night
The Cook County property tax assessment appeals system shifted nearly $2 billion in property taxes onto homeowners from businesses over just three years, with lower-income, Black and Latino homeowners...
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
Hi, I’m going to be doing a little presentation about the Treasurer’s Office Appeals Report at Chi Hack Night tonight! It’ll be in person and online. Follow the link for more info/RSVP: chihacknight.org/events/2025/...
chihacknight.org
In-person and Online: Cook County Treasurer's Office - Chi Hack Night
The Cook County property tax assessment appeals system shifted nearly $2 billion in property taxes onto homeowners from businesses over just three years, with lower-income, Black and Latino homeowners...
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
Me 🤝 The Blue Line Not wanting to work on Friday
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Explaining where I live to Chicago data nerds by referencing that one census tract that’s in both Logan Square and West Town
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
Dust storm got me in the mood to build like 2,000 post offices across the country to boost morale and create jobs
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
Didn’t have “get stuck in Lisle because of a freak dust storm” on today’s bingo card
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Born in Chicago and Raised in Dolton? That’s a Cook County Pope
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Hi everyone, The Cook County Treasurer’s Office published my report on assessment appeals this morning! There are some great articles about it, but if you have the time, I recommend reading the report and browsing the data dashboard! Read it here: www.cookcountytreasurer.com/appealsrepor...
Front page of the Treasurer’s Office study “A Broken Property Tax Appeals System”
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
My dad has been refilling this travel contact solution bottle for 20 years
Contact solution bottle that has copyright 2005 typed on it
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
Say you’ve been dropped off in downtown Nashville at 7:30am on a rainy Saturday with nowhere to be for 6 hours. What do you do? Where do you go?
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