Category: Commentary

Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities

September 6, 2024September 6, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities By Maria Pappas State lawmakers have made it easier for people with disabilities to continue receiving property tax relief on an annual basis. Cook County homeowners who receive the Persons with Disabilities Exemption no longer have to reapply for the benefit every year….

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Katsenes and Pekau are angry that I blew the whistle on their TIF district threat to taxpayers

September 4, 2024April 28, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Katsenes and Pekau are angry that I blew the whistle on their TIF district threat to taxpayers By Ray Hanania 09-04-24 The dangers of Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau’s secretive TIF district proposals I am not surprised Orland Park Trustee Cindy Katsenes, a local realtor with Village Realty, attacked me personally at the Village Board…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

New school year challenges also provide a chance for parents and children to start fresh

September 4, 2024September 4, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

New school year challenges also provide a chance for parents and children to start fresh By Jeffery M. Leving SM The start of the new school year comes with anxiety for too many parents and children, so it’s essential to take preemptive action to address the things that cause stress and seize opportunities. Like the…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

Union leader says former Cook County Commissioner Ed Moody lied to union, public and can’t be trusted

September 3, 2024September 3, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Union leader says former Cook County Commissioner Ed Moody lied to union, public and can’t be trusted By Ray Hanania Former Cook County Commissioner Ed Moody had a bad habit of lying about how he would act on controversial policies from the prevailing wage to the one-cent per-ounce tax on soda pop. Published in The…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, elections, Government, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Ex-wife used daughter’s therapy to cut dad’s court ordered parenting time

August 30, 2024August 30, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Ex-wife used daughter’s therapy to cut dad’s court ordered parenting time By Laura Reichel The time a father spends with his child can be incredibly important to maintaining a strong relationship between father and child. However, in the case of a Chicago father, he feared his relationship with his young daughter was at risk. Chicago…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion, Radio

Unincorporated Orland homeowners blast mayor’s annexation move

August 25, 2024April 27, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Unincorporated Orland homeowners blast mayor’s annexation move Residents of Unincorporated Orland Township blast Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau for trying to grab their land and violate their rights. Residents say Mayor Pekau failed to properly notify them of his plans that began quietly in 2022 and continued to 2023 before residents could address the board…

Blogger, Civil Rights, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Orland Township, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Videos

Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets By Maria Pappas Illinois lawmakers have enacted significant changes to property tax exemptions benefiting veterans, including a landmark provision for those who served during World War II. These amendments, effective for the 2024 tax year, underscore our commitment to supporting our veteran…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Veterans

Leving legal team won appeal defending falsely accused Chicago dad

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Leving legal team won appeal defending falsely accused Chicago dad By Laura Reichel The Leving legal team won a critical decision from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in favor of an accused father they defended. It is terrifying for any father to be faced with the allegation that he neglected his…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

Why you need to read Ray Hanania’s syndicated columns

August 22, 2024August 22, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Why you need to read Ray Hanania’s syndicated columns Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist but he needs your support. His columns reflects an honesty in political coverage that you don’t often find in American journalism. Watch this promotion on Ray’s commitment to objective journalism and commentary, “even when it hurts.” He needs your…

Blogger, Commentary, Culture, journalism, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Videos

Sale-in-error study shows how tax buyers transfer wealth from low-income areas

July 26, 2024July 26, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Sale-in-error study shows how tax buyers transfer wealth from low-income areas By Maria Pappas My office redesigned this year’s property tax bills to clearly show where your tax dollars go. On the front of every bill, you can see how much of your hard-earned money goes to each taxing body What is less visible, however,…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland

The Mike Madigan I know did much for the Southwest region

July 25, 2024July 25, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

The Mike Madigan I know did much for the Southwest region By Ray Hanania I was first introduced to Mike Madigan in 1978 by then Chicago Mayor Michael A. Bilandic. The mayor told me, a cub reporter at the time, to keep an eye on him because he was a “rising star.” As it turns…

Blogger, Commentary, Illinois Legislature, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

Paying tax bill online is easy and safe, but you can also pay by mail or in person

July 13, 2024July 13, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Paying tax bill online is easy and safe, but you can also pay by mail or in person By Maria Pappas Property owners face an Aug. 1 due date to pay their Second Installment 2023 tax bills. Many homeowners authorize their mortgage company to pay their two annual property tax installments from an escrow account….

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Taxes

Hanania syndicated columns on Pritzker, Biden, Trump and Roe V Wade

July 13, 2024July 13, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Hanania syndicated columns on Pritzker, Biden, Trump and Roe V Wade Syndicated columnist and award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter writes 5 columns each week addressing politics, slice of life and the Middle East Here is a summary of the most recent columns which you can subscribe to free of charge (or become a…

Commentary, elections, Features, Government, National, News, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Seniors, Taxes

Pressure mounts on Biden to step down, fueling support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and 3rd party candidates

July 13, 2024July 13, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pressure mounts on Biden to step down, fueling support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and 3rd party candidates Video Podcast: Former Congressman Bill Lipinski and columnist and award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania discuss the pressures on President Biden to withdraw from the presidential election, and the impact it will have on…

Bill Lipinski, Commentary, elections, National, News, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Taxes, Videos

Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes

July 1, 2024July 1, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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 shocked and angered many Cook County property owners, especially in the south suburbs. Second Installment 2023 bills are online at cookcountytreasurer.com and arriving in mailboxes in early July. Bills are…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Orland’s Pekau rejects contract renewal for Village Manager George Koczwara

June 15, 2024June 15, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland’s Pekau rejects contract renewal for Village Manager George Koczwara Controversy-plagued Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau will introduce a letter at Monday’s Village Board meeting (June 17, 2024) signed by him telling Village Manager George Koczwara that his contract cannot be renewed because it would be “unfair and inappropriate to allow an automatic extension” to…

Blogger, Commentary, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Father with troubled past gains full parenting time

June 14, 2024June 14, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Father with troubled past gains full parenting time By Laura Reichel A Chicago father with a problematic past, was being kept from his son. He drank a little too much back in the day, and he had a criminal record. When he and his wife separated, he initially had limited contact with his grade school-age son,…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

You may be owed a refund for overpaying property taxes during past 20 years

June 14, 2024June 14, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

You may be owed a refund for overpaying property taxes during past 20 years By Maria Pappas My office is sitting on about $93 million in potential refunds for property tax overpayments going back 20 years. Most overpayments occurred because more than one person paid the same tax bill twice. Reasons why duplicate payments occurred…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes