Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Illinois lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 a year in property taxes By Maria Pappas Illinois offers senior citizens a property tax relief program that works like a loan. The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program allows qualifying seniors to defer or postpone the payment of up to $7,500 a year in property…
Read More “Illinois lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 a year in property taxes” »
Ray Hanania Radio and Podcasts People have asked how to access all of my writings, radio shows, and audio/video podcasts, which include Ray Hanania on Politics, Two Guys on Politics with Bill Lipinski, The Ray Hanania Radio Show sponsored by Arab News on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Michigan, and Ray Hanania’s Syndicated column. Hanania takes…
Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments By Maria Pappas Property owners unable to pay their tax bills in full by the Dec. 15 due date should look at our free online financial planning tool that helps you make smaller, more manageable payments over time. It’s called the Payment Plan…
Read More “Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments” »
Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes By Maria Pappas Record-high increases in property tax bills have angered many Cook County property owners. My office has released an analysis of the nearly 1.8 million tax bills. It showed that in Chicago the median tax bill jumped 16.7%,…
Read More “Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes” »
Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets By Maria Pappas Illinois lawmakers in recent years have enacted significant changes to property tax exemptions benefiting veterans, including a landmark provision for those who served during World War II. These changes underscore our commitment to support veterans in Cook County and…
Read More “Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets” »
Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch By Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer Every year, my office mails more than 1.8 million tax bills to property owners across Cook County. If you have a mortgage, your lender may collect money from you each month and put it in…
Read More “Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch” »
The Politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize — and Trump’s Fury Over Losing Again By Mohammed Faheem Each October, as the world waits for the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, we are reminded that what began as a celebration of humanity’s highest ideals has become an increasingly political spectacle. This year was no different….
Read More “The Politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize — and Trump’s Fury Over Losing Again” »
Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE Former Congressman Bill Lipinski and political columnist Ray Hanania discuss the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s firing, the murder of Charlie Kirk, the backlash on free speech and increased censorship, Woke vs New Woke, the Great American Divide, how to…
Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor As you know, I have never been a big fan of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, or, for that matter, many of the most recent governors we have had, including Bruce Rauner, Pat Quinn, or “Mr. Celebrity” Governor, Rod Blagojevich. (Previously published on Ray…
Read More “Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor” »
What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill By Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Twice each year, my office mails out about 1.8 million tax bills to Cook County property owners. Most people glance only at the amount due—but your bill is much more than a dollar figure. It’s a detailed breakdown of how your…
Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays By Jeffery M. Leving Despite Hollywood images of happy families sitting around a large table for holiday meals, the reality is that about 50% of couples end up divorced. So, while I am not trying to be a holiday Grinch, I am pointing out the…
Read More “Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays” »
We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language By Maria Pappas Understanding Cook County’s property tax system can be a challenge even for people born and raised here. Words like “assessments,” “exemptions,” and “multipliers” aren’t part of everyday conversation. For many homeowners, deciphering a tax bill feels like solving a puzzle. Now…
Read More “We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language” »
How My Office Handles Billions — And Protects Every Penny By Maria Pappas Cook County Treasurer Two times a year, my office mails nearly 1.8 million property tax bills and collects over $18 billion. That’s not a typo — $18 billion. As Cook County Treasurer, I oversee the second-largest property tax collection and distribution system…
Read More “How My Office Handles Billions — And Protects Every Penny” »
Video Podcast on Trump’s problems with Jeffrey Epstein, Netanyahu’s coalition in jeopardy In the Video podcast, political columnist Ray Hanania and former Congressman Bill Lipinski discuss the Jeffrey Epstein controversy and its impact on President Trump; open rebellion among some MAGA Republicans including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene over foreign aid and Epstein, the issue of…
Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN By Maria Pappas If you own property in Cook County, there’s one number you should always know: your PIN. That’s short for Property Index Number—a 14-digit code assigned to every piece of real estate in the county. It’s tied to the legal description…
Read More “Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN” »
Chicago parents and other community leaders must work together to make sure this summer isn’t deadly for our children By Jeffery M. Leving While many divorced and separated parents live with the worry that a school shooting can happen anywhere, anytime, parents in Chicago tend to worry the most when school is out for the…
How Technology Changed the Cook County Treasurer’s Office By Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer When I became Cook County Treasurer in 1998, I walked into an office stuck in the past. Boxes containing $30,000,000 of uncashed checks lined the floor, collecting dust rather than earning interest. Just four working computers and six typewriters served a…
Read More “How Technology Changed the Cook County Treasurer’s Office” »
Honoring Fathers: A Father’s Day Reflection By Arthur S. Kallow Father’s Day is a time to pause, reflect, and celebrate the men who have shaped our lives in ways both big and small. As an attorney, and advocate for fathers’ rights, I am especially reminded every year on Father’s Day of the profound importance of…