Rep. Brad Schneider Faces Challenge Over Highland Park Residency

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — A pair of Lake Forest residents say U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider filed a false statement of candidacy and should not be able to appear on the ballot in the upcoming primary election because his nominating paperwork includes an address where he does not live.

Schneider, who is running unopposed in the Democratic Party primary, said he and his wife, Julie Dann, have begun the process of relocating from their longtime Deerfield house to a recently completed custom-built home in Highland Park.

Lake County property records show they own both residential properties and have claimed homestead property exemptions on both properties simultaneously. According to treasurer's office staff, the second exemption has led to a nearly $1,000 reduction in the Highland Park home's property tax bill over the past two years.

In an objection filed Monday with the Illinois State Board of Elections, Laura LaBarbara and Alan Palmer said the nominating petitions filed by the incumbent congressman earlier this month are invalid.

"At all times relevant, there has been no valid certificate of occupancy from the City of Highland Park," the objectors said. "The Candidate's false representations of his residency are in violation of [the Illinois Election Code], making the nomination papers invalid and the Candidate disqualified from, and ineligible to seek and serve in, the office the nomination papers are filed."

According to a March 4 statement of candidacy signed by Schneider and notarized by Northfield Township Democratic Party Committeeperson Tracy Katz Muhl, the incumbent 10th Congressional District representative attests that he resides at a home in the Ravinia neighborhood.

"My candidacy paperwork includes the correct residential address," Schneider said Wednesday in a social media post. "My wife and I have been building our dream home in Highland Park since before the pandemic started. Now that the new house is complete, we sold our house in Deerfield in January, and are in the process of moving into our new home. We are excited to be in Highland Park and intend to be in this home, hopefully our last one, for many years to come."

A review of Lake County property records shows Schneider and Dann's Deerfield house was purchased for $840,000 in 2001. No sale price this year has yet been publicly recorded.

Schneider and Dann purchased their Highland Park property in November 2019 for $725,000. Every year since, they have filed for a general homestead exemption on the house.

Homestead exemptions lower the assessed value of qualifying homes, which state law defines as "residential property that is occupied by its owner or owners as his or their principal dwelling place, or that is a leasehold interest on which a single family residence is situated, which is occupied as a residence by a person who has an ownership interest therein, legal or equitable or as a lessee, and on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes."

The 1938-built home on the site was demolished, and its two parcels were combined into a single, nearly 0.6-acre lot, records show.

A spokesperson for Schneider's campaign responded to a request for comment about the homestead exemption for the since-demolished home by emailing Schneider's social media post from earlier that day.

Patch obtained a copy of a conditional certificate of occupancy for the newly constructed home issued by Highland Park city staff March 18. According to the state elections board, Schneider's nominating paperwork, including the sworn statement of candidacy attesting that he resides at the Highland Park address, was filed on March 7.

On Tuesday, neighbors told the Daily Herald that they had seen Schneider at the house, but that they did not believe that anyone had moved in.

Schneider's presumed opponent in November, Joe Severino of Lake Forest, is running unopposed in the Republican Party's primary. Severino said he had no connection to the filing of the objection but agreed with LaBarbara and Thomas that state election officials should keep Schneider's name off the ballot.

"It illustrates political incompetency, number one, and the intent not to be forthright with the voters," Severino said. "Now he has a pattern and a history of not only repositioning on issues, but also on the way he presents himself to the community."

A hearing on the objections before the state elections board is scheduled for Tuesday morning. Its decision will affect the June 28 primary ballot rather than the Nov. 8 general election.