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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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 02/04/2026
Reminds me of my favorite, from 1895: a mob throwing red pepper at the police while attempting to abduct a priest at St. Hedwig's in Bucktown
Article from the Chicago Tribune in 1895 describing a riot at St Hedwig's ChurchArticle from the Chicago Tribune in 1895 describing a riot at St Hedwig's Church (pt 2)Article from the Chicago Tribune in 1895 describing a riot at St Hedwig's Church (pt 3)
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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 · 17/11/2025
It's one reason why this year the tax amount going to south suburban TIFs increased by 19%, even though it's not a reassessment year:
Graphic showing TIF tax amount changes from 2023-2024. The South suburbs increased by 19.1%, higher than the north (9.7%) and Chicago (10.4%)
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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
I've seen some great articles on our report, including pieces in the Tribune (featuring web maps!), the Sun-Times, and Crain's. Give them a read!
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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 · 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 · 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 · 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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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Check out the data dashboard to look at detailed information about appeal rates and bill changes in you neighborhood!
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
This shift was not shared equally among homeowners! Homeowners in high income areas appealed at far higher levels than in low income areas, causing the appeals process to shift a disproportionate amount of taxes to those who can least afford to pay more.
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
For this report, I calculated how appeals shifted the tax burden from 2021-2023. Large business AV reductions reduced their taxes by more than $3 billion, while the tax bill for residential properties rose by about $2 billion.
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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 · 26/04/2025
Come to Chicago’s new hottest club
Chicago Department of Family and Support Services sign advertising a “Clubbing Live DJ” event
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
A little bit ago I made a fun interactive map of where Chicago street sweeping is happening on any given day. It’s updated for 2025! See it here: public.tableau.com/app/profile/...
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Check out my coworker’s new report on Cook County property tax referendums! A certain researcher named Chris made an interactive dashboard of election results for 35 referendums in 2024! Read it here: www.cookcountytreasurer.com/voterturnout...
Screenshot of Cook County Referendums dashboard showing precinct-level results for a Thornton County referendum about forming a mental health district in March 2024. The measure failed.
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
I can’t be the only one who can’t tell the difference between the two colors in this NYT map
Interactive map in a New York Times article about share of jobs in industries affected by tariffs. I’m told the two main colors are green and pink
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
These were so ahead of their time
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Happy Banh Mi Rice Bowl Friday to those who celebrate
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
20+ minute Blue Line headways when it’s 6 degrees outside is not the move
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
When they ask what toppings I want on my Italian Beef:
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
When the fellas pass around a giant bottle of beer and pour it into these bad boys >>>
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 20/12/2024
Happy Banh Mi Noodle Bowl Friday to those who celebrate
Photo of a banh mi noodle bowl
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
Happy Banh Mi Noodle Bowl Friday to those who celebrate
Photo of a Banh Mi Noodle Bowl
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Happy Banh Mi Noodle Bowl Friday to those who celebrate
Photo of a banh mi noodle bowl
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
A beautiful, chilly Chicago morning
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Why am I a fan of this team
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Mentions of the word “Bucktown” in the Chicago Tribune Archives by decade. The earliest mention of the Chicago area I found was in 1898 (earlier mentions were about Cincinnati) Mentions increased in 1975 due to the movie “Bucktown.” In the late 70s it started showing up in real estate listings.
Table showing mentions of the word “Bucktown” in the Chicago Tribune Archives from 1860 to 2015, showing a major increase in mentions in the 1980s
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Happy Banh Mi Noodle Bowl Friday
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
My mom sent me a recipe for a “Paul Newman cake” she printed out around 2010. To my surprise, the url on recipe still worked, but they, uh, renamed the cake
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 10/11/2024
I updated my Chicago School Board Election map dashboard this morning! See the precinct-level voting breakdown for each district here: public.tableau.com/app/profile/...
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 09/11/2024
Made a pit stop for some Cincinnati Chili 😊
Plate of Gold Star Chili
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 08/11/2024
The train to Google-Chrome Desktop will come in reboot Machine minutes
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Christopher Silber @csilber.bsky.social · 08/11/2024
Happy banh mi noodle bowl Friday to those who celebrate
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