Trump owed $1 million in tax refund by Chicago, but state's attorney seeks to block refund

Former President Donald Trump is owed $1.03 million in a tax refund from 2011 for his Chicago skyscraper, but the Cook County State's Attorney is filing a lawsuit to block it, according to reports.

The Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board ruled in June "that the Cook County Board of Review overestimated the value of the building’s hotel rooms and retail space," the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The tax refund, which has not been issued, would "come out of property taxes due to the city of Chicago and eight other government agencies, including Chicago Public Schools, which stands to lose the biggest chunk of money, about $540,000," according to the outlet.

The original case was filed by Alderman Edward M. Burke, whose former law firm, Klafter & Burke, argued that Trump's skyscraper had been over-assessed.

The law firm has won more than $14 million in tax breaks for Trump over 12 years, but Burke ended the relationship in 2018 over "irreconcilable differences." He is a Chicago Democrat whose constituents opposed many of the president's policies.

Burke has left the law firm but is still on the City Council, according to reports.

The Cook County State's Attorney appealed to the Illinois Appellate Court on July 9. The Illinois Attorney General's office later intervened on the case on the appeal board's behalf.

When the Illinois Appellate Court makes a decision, it can be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, which is headed by Chief Justice Anne M. Burke, Burke's wife.