Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Treasurer’s website offers easy way to update property tax bill name and address information Your Property Taxes with The Cook County Treasurer offers insight on services available at the Treasurer’s Office to homeowners You may not look forward to receiving your property tax bill, but it’s crucial that you get it. Not getting it can…
How a Treasurer’s Office Study Closed a Loophole that Allowed Wealthy Investors to Siphon Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Low-Income areas For years, wealthy investors exploited loopholes in the property tax system to funnel money from local schools and governments into their collective wallets. But the loopholes were closed after a Cook County Treasurer’s…
Cicero Man Charged in Fatal Stabbing A 54-year-old Cicero man is facing a murder charge in connection with the fatal stabbing of another man, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today. Just before 4 a.m. on Jan. 19, Cook County Sheriff’s Police responded to the 5000 block of South Luna Avenue in unincorporated Stickney…
Want to go paperless? eBilling lets you receive tax bills via email Cook County property owners can sign up for eBilling for themselves or family members to receive property tax bills through their computers or smart phones instead of the mail. The eBilling option offers the convenience of allowing spouses to each receive copies of…
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Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Hosts Open House at District Office On Tuesday, January 13th, Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar hosted an open house at his district office. The event attracted over 50 attendees from throughout the district and connected residents to government, health, and community services. Joining Commissioner Aguilar and his office were staff from the…
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Candidate Harrell joins regional Pastors to demand “freeze and rollback” of Cook County Property Taxes Chicago, IL – John Harrell, a candidate for the 8th Illinois House District, joined a coalition of Pastors, mostly from the region’s south and West Sides and representing minority and low-income communities to demand that Cook County officials and the Illinois…
Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Hosts Sixth Annual Three Kings Celebration The Three Kings Day event hosted by Abuilar remains one of the largest celebrations of the important Mexican holiday in Chicagoland, drawing support from important leaders and elected officials, including Lyons Mayor Chris Getty and Pastor John Harrell, co-founder of Black Men United…
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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…
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Cook County Pastors from the south and west sides and suburbs urge property tax reform Chicago, IL — A coalition of African American Pastors representing more than 100 churches on Chicago’s South and West sides and suburbs called for immediate reforms in the property tax system, warning recent tax hikes will force thousands to lose…
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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…
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Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas column explores options to help pay property taxes by Dec. 15 If you can’t pay your taxes by the December 15 due date, there’s a 13-month payment plan available! Register now at CookCountyTreasurer.com. Second-Installment Cook County property taxes are due Dec. 15, for nearly 1.8 million Cook County properties. That…
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%,…
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Treasurer Pappas welcomes visitors to ‘Christmas Trees from Around the World’ exhibit more countries and cultures represented than the Museum of Science and Industry’s Display For the 22nd year, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is celebrating the ethnic holiday traditions of nearly 100 different nationalities in the free “Christmas Trees from Around the World” exhibit…
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Loop’s declining value fuels record 16.7% jump in median property tax bill for Chicago homeowners Homeowners in Black communities hit with biggest percentage increases A dramatic decline in the value of commercial property in Chicago’s Loop, the city’s longtime economic engine, fueled a record property tax increase on homes across the city, according to an…
Third-party notices tell you if a relative or anyone you know misses a tax payment By Maria Pappas Each year, thousands of property owners in Cook County are late paying their taxes, putting their homes in danger of being included in the annual state-mandated tax sale. That’s a problem we want to help you avoid. …
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Commissioner Frank Aguilar and Cook County officials celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month Officials, accompanied by musical guests, honored notable Hispanic and Latine residents for their contributions to Cook County, and honored three individuals with awards (Cook County, IL) – On Wednesday, October 15th, Cook County Commissioners and the Office of Cook County Board President…
Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Joins Clerk of the Circuit Court Mariyana Spyropoulos at Expungement Event This “Second Chance Summit” expunged and sealed previous convictions for residents throughout Cook County Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar joined Clerk of the Circuit Court Mariyana Spyropoulos and local elected officials at a Second Chance Summit. The Second Chance Summit…
Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and the Alliance of Polish Clubs USA will host a special event honoring Polish American Heritage Month by unveiling the first-ever U.S. showing of the “Different Faces of Solidarity” photography exhibit by…