Nico Tsatsoulis, a Libertarian, is running for Cook County Assessor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The other candidate in the race is Pat Hynes, a Democrat.

Asked why he is seeking the office, Tsatsoulis said in our candidate questionnaire: "Assessments are inherently subjective. There is no scientific way to derive objective assessments." He added: "The appeals rate is 25%. In LA county where they use the objective system I am advocating for, the appeals rate is 1%." He continued: "The subjective nature of the assessments combined with uncapped tax levies, create our broken system. Property taxes become a zero-sum game. If I pay less, you have to pay more. …"

In an email to the Park Ridge Wire, Tsatsoulis said the election is a referendum on capping property taxes and argued that the problem lies with the system, not the officeholder. He cited Cook County Treasurer Pappas's figures showing 46% of affluent households appeal their taxes versus 11% of the working poor.

Candidate information

Party: Libertarian

Education: Asked about his education, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "AB '88, MBA '89 University of Chicago. My education has contributed to my questioning the status quo and looking for better ways to do things. …"

Occupation: Asked about his occupation, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "Real estate manager. I have worked in consulting, finance, retail, wholesale and real estate on three continents. …"

Family: Asked about his family, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "My family is watching with awe the unfathomable degree of corruption in local politics."

Previous elected or appointed offices: Asked about previous offices, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "None."

Experience and public service

Tsatsoulis ran as the Libertarian candidate for Cook County Assessor in 2022 and for Cook County Board of Review District 3 in 2024, according to his Libertarian Party profile.

On the issues

Critical differences from opponent: Asked what sets him apart, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "I am the only candidate fighting to cap property taxes and eliminate the corrupting influence of money in this office. I advocate capping property taxes at 1% of a property's purchase value. My opponent believes the current property tax system works perfectly fine and needs no changes." He added: "Unlike my opponent, I accept zero campaign donations and run a grassroots campaign on a $1,000 budget. …"

Property tax reform: On his campaign website, Tsatsoulis said he would "use sale values for calculating tax assessments and not arbitrary values created by the office's bureaucracy …" and would "change the Cook County code to eliminate harmful ordinance that taxes commercial properties more than residential properties …"

Qualifications: Asked what accomplishments show he can handle the job, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "… I immigrated to the United States alone at age 19 to pursue my education, going on to become the youngest MBA student in my class at the University of Chicago. Since 2021, I have led the charge to cap property taxes, bringing the precise technical knowledge and innovative ideas required to overhaul this office. …"

Family in politics: Asked whether anyone in his family works in politics or government, Tsatsoulis said in our questionnaire: "No. I am not a career politician. I am a third-party candidate. Because of that, the moneyed establishment tries to downplay what I am advocating for …"

Endorsements

No endorsements were provided.

Candidate responses were collected through the Park Ridge Wire's candidate questionnaire and the candidate's direct email to this outlet. Quotations reflect the candidate's own words.