Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds By Maria Pappas Every year, many Cook County homeowners are bombarded with letters, emails and phone calls from vendors offering to help secure property tax refunds — for a fee. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to pay…
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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…
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Man Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Suburban Chicago Banks and Financial Institutions A man who robbed four banks and a credit unions in the Chicago suburbs has been sentenced to more than seven and a half years in federal prison, the Illinois U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros announced Monday….
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…
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Madigan sentenced to stiff seven and a half years in prison on corruption case Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Federal Prison after Corruption Conviction A federal judge in Chicago today sentenced former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Michael J. Madigan to…
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Understanding Cook County Property Taxes: A Guide for Homeowners Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas By Maria Pappas Navigating the complexities of the property tax system in Cook County can be daunting for homeowners. My hope is this column makes it less intimidating by breaking down a complex process into simple concepts….
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Often overlooked single fathers deserve praise this Father’s Day By Jeffery M. Leving This Father’s Day I’d like to pay tribute to a certain segment of fathers that is often overlooked — single and divorced fathers who are raising their children. We often hear about single and divorced mothers who raise their children and while…
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Chicago Man Faces Felony after $400,000 in Stolen Merchandise Recovered A 57-year-old Chicago man is facing a Class 1 Felony Theft charge after the Sheriff’s Police Organized Retail Crime Unit recovered approximately $400,000 in stolen fitness equipment and other goods taken during area cargo thefts, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Wednesday, June 11,…
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Cook County’s Annual Tax Sale to be Postponed for Seven Months Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas plans to postpone the Annual Tax Sale for seven months, during which time she hopes to work with legislators on comprehensive property tax foreclosure reform measures. At Pappas’s urging, the Illinois General Assembly last week passed legislation that allows…
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Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas The levy: It’s not a dam, but it is a word you should know! By Maria Pappas Since I first stepped into my office 27 years ago, one question has repeatedly come up: “Why do my property taxes always go up?” It’s a valid concern. At…
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The $2 billion wealth transfer: How Cook County’s property tax appeals system rewards businesses at the expense of homeowners Nearly $2 billion in property taxes shifted onto homeowners from businesses over just three years, with a disproportionate share of the added burden falling on lower-income Black and Latino homeowners, a first-of-its-kind analysis by the Treasurer’s…
Cook County Commissioner Aguilar expresses strong support for “workers’ rights” at rally Thursday Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar joined May Day Celebrations, May 1, 2025, and spoke at the rally in support of workers’ rights and immigration On Thursday, May 1st, Commissioner Aguilar attended the May Day celebrations in Chicago. Commissioner Aguilar spoke to attendees about…
When it comes to voting on property tax referendums, the few decide for the many There are two types of referendums — binding and advisory. The government is legally required to act on binding referendum results. Advisory referendums aren’t legally binding and are often used to measure public opinion before making a governmental decision. That…
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You May Be Owed Money For Overpaying Property Taxes Up To 20 Years Ago By Maria Pappas My office is managing about $122 million in potential refunds for property tax overpayments going back 20 years that I’m eager to send back to property owners. But determining who’s entitled to a refund isn’t simple. Most overpayments…
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Record Number of Property Tax Appeals Filed for 2024 Tax Year The Cook County Board of Review (CCBOR) has received a record number of property tax appeals, involving a nearly 41% increase in the total of Property Index Numbers (PINs) compared to the 2023 tax year. Appeals filed for tax year 2024 increased by 11%…
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Why We Pay Property Taxes In Arrears? Column: Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas By Maria Pappas One of the most common questions I get in my office, is, “Why do we collect taxes for the previous year?” Here’s the backstory. Cook County’s property tax system has changed dramatically since The Treasurer’s…
Pappas Urges Citizens to Vote on April 1 as Study Reveals Racial and Income Disparities in Referendum Turnout In a first-of-its-kind analysis, the Cook County Treasurer’s Office found much higher property tax referendum turnout in wealthier, predominantly white communities where nearly all people own their homes than in areas with mostly minority populations, lower incomes,…
Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities State lawmakers have made it easier for people with disabilities to continue receiving annual property tax relief. By Maria Pappas Cook County homeowners who receive the Persons with Disabilities Exemption no longer must reapply for the benefit every year. Lawmakers acted to allow…
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