About Brendan
Brendan Houlihan and his wife, Bae, married in July 2009.
The youngest of eight children from a South Suburban family, Brendan Houlihan learned early on the importance of responsibility, hard work, family and doing your part. His parents – John and Vernal Houlihan – lived these values daily through their community work and his father's public service as both a state representative and in Washington, D.C., working with the Carter administration.
Brendan attended St. Mary's Catholic Grammar School in Park Forest and Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, and graduated from Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland. In 1986, Brendan graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Business degree in Finance. Brendan now handles transactions at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for Newedge, a global brokerage firm.
Watching his father work tirelessly on behalf of constituents and veterans, Brendan learned you stand up for people who need help, and you give back to your community. Brendan continued this tradition through his volunteer work and public service. He tutored inner city children in math and reading at St. Agatha's Catholic School. Brendan served nine years on the Board of Directors at Chicago Gaelic Park, where he managed the scholarship program and blood drive. Brendan has also taught and coordinated Irish Set Dancing to children and adults. Currently, Brendan serves as an elected Commissioner at the Cook County Board of Review and has since 2006.
Brendan and his, wife Bae, a physical therapist, live in Palos Heights in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.
Standing with Us – Every Time!
On the issues that matter most, only one candidate for Cook County Board of Review has always stood with us – Brendan Houlihan! Brendan's strong record of fighting and winning for suburban Cook County taxpayers began after his first-ever election to the Cook County Board of Review in 2006. He immediately moved to fulfill his core campaign pledge: being an advocate for taxpayers. As Commissioner, Brendan's many accomplishments have included the following:
- During his first year in office, Brendan aided thousands of suburban homeowners in protesting their taxes, filing complaints and winning nearly $275 million in total tax cuts, an average of $2,000 in assessment reductions per homeowner!
- When the housing market collapsed in 2008, Brendan stepped in and called for the first-ever County-wide reopening of the Board of Review. Because of Brendan's initiative, more than 30,000 property taxpayers were able to obtain desperately needed tax relief that they otherwise would not have received. Hundreds of homeowners avoided foreclosure, protecting property values for everyone in the community.
- Committed to fiscal accountability and professionalism, Brendan reduced the number of employees in his office, introduced technological advancements to improve efficiency, and increased the number of tax appeals filed on behalf of homeowners.
- Brendan believes that cronyism and sweetheart deals have plagued the Board of Review for too long, so he has pushed for real solutions, including a complete modernization of the property tax review system and strong, new ethical standards applied for the first time ever to his office.
The Houlihan family runs into President Obama on the campaign trail.
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Contact Info
Taxpayers for Houlihan
P.O. Box 534
Palos Heights, IL 60463
Phone: (708) 837-8753
E-mail: brendan@brendanhoulihan.com
