James Houlihan

James Houlihan
James Houlihan
Cook County Assessor
	In office; 1997 – December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Thomas Hynes
Succeeded by	Joseph Berrios
Illinois State Representative
	In office; 1973–1979 Serving with ; Robert L. Thompson (1973–1975); Jesse White (1975–1979)
Preceded by	John B. Brandt/Howard W. Carroll
Succeeded by	Daniel P. O'Brien
Personal details
Born	1942 or 1943
Political party	Democratic

James Houlihan is an American politician who served as Cook County assessor from 1997 to 2010 and as an Illinois state representative from 1973 to 1979.

Early life

Houlihan was born in 1942 or 1943.[1][2] Houlihan was born and raised in the 19th Ward of Chicago on the far southwest side of Chicago.[3]

Career

Houlihan was a protégé of Thomas Hynes, the Cook County assessor and 19th Ward boss.[3]

In the 1970s he was an independent-minded Illinois state representative, elected from a district located on the northern Chicago lakefront. He had ties to prominent lakefront liberals.[3][4] He was elected in 1972, and reelected in 1974. However, in 1978, he was unseated in the Democratic primary.[3]

He served as a top aide to Chicago mayor Harold Washington.[3][4] He then became a deputy assessor in Thomas Hynes' Cook County assessor office[3]

Cook County Assessor

In March 1997, Thomas Hynes resigned from office after serving for 18 years as Cook County assessor. Houlihan was appointed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners to fill the office. Houlihan's appointment was championed by Hynes himself.[3][5] Houlihan would be reelected in 1998, 2002, and 2006. He opted not run for reelection in 2010.[6]

At the time he took office, residential properties were undervalued.[5] Rather than remedying this, which would have led to higher taxes for many, and would be unpopular, he kept the rates artificially low, and even began to lower the rates for commercial and industrial properties.[5] Houlihan so skewed residential values to artificially low values, that it uncalibrated the county's property tax system so severely that it may have been in violation of the Constitution of Illinois.[5]

Houlihan, over his tenure, defied legal requirements and operated outside of professional standards.[5]

During his tenure as assessor, Houlihan held a rivalry with Cook County Board of Review member Joseph Berrios.[3] In 2006, behind-the-scenes, Houlihan gave his support to Brendan Houlihan (of no relation) in his effort to unseat Maureen Murphy in the Cook County Board of Review 1st district, which was successful. Murphy had been an ally on the board of Joseph Berrios.[3]

In 2007, Houlihan spoke out against Michael Madigan's plan to cap property tax assessments, arguing that, compared to the stalled legislation supported by Houlihan, Madigan's legislation would save Chicago Loop skyscraper owners who were represented by Madigan's own law firm hundreds of thousands of dollars than they would owe under Houlihan's plan.[7]

In 2010, he accused Joseph Berrios and Michael Madigan of hiding information from taxpayers that could effect the November general election.[8]

In 2010, Houlihan said that he was considering running for mayor of Chicago in 2011.[1][2][9] He ultimately did not run.

Later career

After leaving office, Houlihan went on to become a state lobbyist.[5]

Houlihan served on the Commission on Chicago Landmarks.[10] His tenure on the commission ended in 2019.[11]

Electoral history

Illinois State Representative

1972

1972 Illinois House of Representatives 13th district Democratic primary[12]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	James M. Houlihan	61,549 ½	54.93
Democratic	Robert L. Thompson	24,356	21.74
Democratic	Ira Colitz	18,184	16.23
Democratic	Judith A. Lonnquist	7,959 ½	7.10

1972 Illinois House of Representatives 13th district election[12]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	James M. Houlihan	90,286 ½	42.77
Democratic	Robert L. Thompson	44,528	21.10
Republican	Paul J. Randolph	43,624	20.67
Republican	Hawley H. Sodder	32,641 ½	15.46

1974

1974 Illinois House of Representatives 13th district Democratic primary[13]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	James M. Houlihan (incumbent)	41,486	43.41
Democratic	Jesse C. White, Jr.	27,100 ½	28.36
Democratic	James Terrence Arvey	25,355	26.53
Democratic	Marshall James Pidgeon	1,625	1.70

1974 Illinois House of Representatives 13th district election[13]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	James M. Houlihan (incumbent)	53,844	41.41
Democratic	Jesse C. White, Jr.	34,851	26.80
Republican	Paul J. Randolph	22,702 ½	17.46
Republican	Tom McNamara	18,625	14.33

1978

1978 Illinois House of Representatives 13th district Democratic primary[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jesse C. White, Jr. (incumbent)	27,612	35.01
	Democratic	Daniel P. O'Brien	25,291	32.07
	Democratic	James M. Houlihan (incumbent)	20,112	25.50
	Democratic	Gary Nepon	5,859	7.43
Total votes			78,874	100

Cook County Assessor

1998

1998 Cook County Assessor Democratic primary[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James M. Houlihan (incumbent)	330,292	100
Total votes			330,292	100

1998 Cook County Assessor election[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James M. Houlihan (incumbent)	926,646	75.58
	Republican	Jose Carlos Gomez	260,245	21.23
	Justice Party	Philip Morris	39,111	3.19
Total votes			1,226,002	100

2002

2002 Cook County Assessor Democratic primary[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Houlihan (incumbent)	534,407	100
Total votes			534,407	100

2002 Cook County Assessor election[18][19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Houlihan (incumbent)	954,774	75.78
	Republican	James P. Pieczonka	305,176	24.22
Total votes			1,259,950	100

2006

2006 Cook County Assessor Democratic primary[20][21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Houlihan (incumbent)	492,077	100
Total votes			492,077	100

2006 Cook County Assessor election[22]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Houlihan (incumbent)	1,010,400	80.41
	Republican	Ralph Conner	246,186	19.59
Total votes			1,256,586	100

References

Felsenthal, Carol (23 April 2010). "James Houlihan interested in run for mayor". Chicago magazine.
Felsenthal, Carol (24 September 2010). "Jim Houlihan Won't Run for Mayor | Chicago magazine | Felsenthal Files September 2010". Chicago magazine.
Stewart, Russ (3 June 2009). "2010 'BATTLE OF TITANS': HOULIHAN V. BERRIOS FOR ASSESOR". russstewart.com. Russ Stewart.
McCarron, John (6 December 1999). "HOULIHAN HITS THE HIGH ROAD". Chicago Tribune.
Grotto, Jason (10 June 2017). "AN ERA OF ERRORS". Chicago Tribune.
Dardick, Hal (6 September 2009). "Cook County Assessor James Houlihan Not Seeking Re-election". HuffPost.
McKinney, Dave (6 August 2007). "Assessor slams Madigan tax plan". Chicago Sun-Times.
"Battle brewing over Cook Co property taxes". ABC7. WLS-TV. 1 April 2010.
Felsenthal, Carol (7 September 2010). "Mayor Daley Won't Seek Re-election; Jim Houlihan Wants the Job | Chicago magazine | Felsenthal Files September 2010". www.chicagomag.com.
Cahill, Joe (11 September 2013). "Why the preservationists got it all wrong at the former IBM Building". Crain's Chicago Business.
@BlairKamin (2 October 2019). "3 members of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks are leaving the panel to make way for @chicagosmayor 's appointees, city officials say. The departing members are former Cook County Assessor James M. Houlihan; Chicago architect Juan Gabriel Moreno; + restaurateur Carmen Rossi" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
"OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1972 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 21, 1972" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
"OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 5, 1974 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 19, 1974" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
"OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 21, 1978" (PDF). elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
"OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS PRIMARY ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1998" (PDF). cookcountyclerkil.com. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
"OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS GENERAL ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1998" (PDF). results.cookcountyclerkil.gov.
"OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS PRIMARY ELECTION TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2002 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY" (PDF). Cook County, Illinois. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
"TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2002 A.D." (PDF). Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
"SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY RESULTS". voterinfonet.com. Cook County Clerk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005.
"2006 Primary Election March 21, 2006 Summary Report Suburban Cook County" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
"TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO ON TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2006 A.D." (PDF). Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
"Cook County and the City of Chicago Combined Summary Report November 2006 General Election Tuesday, November 7th, 2006" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 16 March 2020.

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[chimag1-1] Felsenthal, Carol (23 April 2010). "James Houlihan interested in run for mayor". Chicago magazine.

[won'trun-2] Felsenthal, Carol (24 September 2010). "Jim Houlihan Won't Run for Mayor | Chicago magazine | Felsenthal Files September 2010". Chicago magazine.

[battle-3] Stewart, Russ (3 June 2009). "2010 'BATTLE OF TITANS': HOULIHAN V. BERRIOS FOR ASSESOR". russstewart.com. Russ Stewart.

[highroad-4] McCarron, John (6 December 1999). "HOULIHAN HITS THE HIGH ROAD". Chicago Tribune.

[era-5] Grotto, Jason (10 June 2017). "AN ERA OF ERRORS". Chicago Tribune.

[6] Dardick, Hal (6 September 2009). "Cook County Assessor James Houlihan Not Seeking Re-election". HuffPost.

[7] McKinney, Dave (6 August 2007). "Assessor slams Madigan tax plan". Chicago Sun-Times.

[8] "Battle brewing over Cook Co property taxes". ABC7. WLS-TV. 1 April 2010.

[9] Felsenthal, Carol (7 September 2010). "Mayor Daley Won't Seek Re-election; Jim Houlihan Wants the Job | Chicago magazine | Felsenthal Files September 2010". www.chicagomag.com.

[10] Cahill, Joe (11 September 2013). "Why the preservationists got it all wrong at the former IBM Building". Crain's Chicago Business.

[11] @BlairKamin (2 October 2019). "3 members of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks are leaving the panel to make way for @chicagosmayor 's appointees, city officials say. The departing members are former Cook County Assessor James M. Houlihan; Chicago architect Juan Gabriel Moreno; + restaurateur Carmen Rossi" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

[1972results-12] "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1972 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 21, 1972" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 26 June 2020.

[1974results-13] "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 5, 1974 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 19, 1974" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 26 June 2020.

[14] "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 21, 1978" (PDF). elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 25 June 2020.

[15] "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS PRIMARY ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1998" (PDF). cookcountyclerkil.com. Retrieved 15 October 2020.

[16] "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS GENERAL ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1998" (PDF). results.cookcountyclerkil.gov.

[17] "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS PRIMARY ELECTION TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2002 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY" (PDF). Cook County, Illinois. Retrieved 22 June 2020.

[18] "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2002 A.D." (PDF). Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved 18 June 2020.

[19] "SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY RESULTS". voterinfonet.com. Cook County Clerk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005.

[20] "2006 Primary Election March 21, 2006 Summary Report Suburban Cook County" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 17 March 2020.

[21] "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO ON TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2006 A.D." (PDF). Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved 17 March 2020.

[22] "Cook County and the City of Chicago Combined Summary Report November 2006 General Election Tuesday, November 7th, 2006" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 16 March 2020.