Category: Cook County

Illinois program lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 per year in property taxes

January 21, 2024January 21, 2024 Ray Hanania 3 Comments

Illinois program lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 per year in property taxes Your Property Taxes column with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas 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 up…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Seniors, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Cicero Police arrest and charge two suspects in Dec. 26 killing of Alejandro Trujillo

January 15, 2024January 15, 2024 News Editor No Comments

Cicero Police arrest and charge two suspects in Dec. 26 killing of Alejandro Trujillo – Charged with First Degree Murder and Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking are Jason I. Eady of Chicago and Isaac Vaca Hernandez of Burbank Cicero, IL. – The Cicero Police Department announces the arrest of Jason I. Eady and Isaac Vaca Hernandez for…

breaking news, Cook County, Crime, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland

Slashed interest rate on late property tax payments could prevent home loss

December 16, 2023December 16, 2023 Ray Hanania 2 Comments

Slashed interest rate on late property tax payments could prevent home loss By Maria Pappas As my office prepares for the Annual Tax Sale, we’re doing all we can to help people avoid losing their homes because of unpaid property taxes. One of the biggest legislative reforms to the Illinois property tax system in decades…

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

New tool shows where property tax dollars go and informs fed up taxpayers

December 3, 2023December 3, 2023 Guest Columnist 1 Comment

New tool shows where property tax dollars go and informs fed up taxpayers By Maria Pappas When I saw how recent property tax bills shocked and angered many Cook County homeowners I knew people needed to understand why their taxes are so high. I began hearing from frustrated homeowners before tax bills landed in early…

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

President Dominick, Town Board organize drive to help families impacted by Friday’s fire

December 2, 2023December 3, 2023 News Editor No Comments

President Dominick, Town Board organize drive to help families impacted by Friday’s fire More than 14 families were forced to leave their homes when the 18-unit apartment building where they lived was destroyed by a massive fire on Friday Dec. 1, 2023. The Cicero Fire Department fought the blaze which lasted more than five hours,…

Cook County, Fire, Government, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland

Raymond Lopez, A Democrat Who Delivers, Files for Congress

November 29, 2023November 29, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Raymond Lopez, A Democrat Who Delivers, Files for Congress Demonstrates his strong grassroots support and the hunger for real change Raymond Lopez officially filed his nominating petitions on Monday Nov. 27 to run for Congress in Illinois’ 4th District. With over 3,000 petition signatures submitted on the first day of filing, Lopez demonstrates the strength…

Chicago, Cook County, elections, News, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Treasurer Maria Pappas unveils online tool detailing property tax spending as Dec. 1 tax due date looms

November 28, 2023November 28, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Treasurer Maria Pappas unveils online tool detailing property tax spending as Dec. 1 tax due date looms Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas today unveiled an innovative online tool that for the first time calculates year-to-year changes for each property tax bill and shows where tax dollars go. The search tool at cookcountytreasurer.com is available as…

Chicago, Cook County, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Sheriff Dart and Friends of the Chicago River Join Forces to

November 10, 2023November 10, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Sheriff Dart and Friends of the Chicago River Join Forces to Clean-Up the Ford Heights Community and River The Cook County Sheriff’s Office co-hosted a volunteer community clean-up of the Deer Creek River in Ford Heights Village Thursday, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Friday Nov. 10, 2023. Approximately 30 volunteers from the Sheriff’s…

Cook County, Environment, Features, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Black Men United cohost veterans event at Hines VA Hospital

November 7, 2023November 7, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Black Men United cohost veterans event at Hines VA Hospital Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will help military veterans and their families search for savings on their property tax bills during a Veterans’ Appreciation event Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital with Black Men United. Treasurer’s…

Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Veterans

Senator Mike Porfirio hosts Veterans Appreciation Luncheon at Morton College, Monday Nov. 13, 2023

November 6, 2023November 8, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Senator Mike Porfirio hosts Veterans Appreciation Luncheon at Morton College, Monday Nov. 13, 2023 State Senator Mike Porfirio will host a Veterans Appreciation luncheon at Morton College on Monday, November 13, 2023. Please RSVP to attend the luncheon at the college, 3801 S. Central Avenue, Cicero, Illinois, that begins at 11 AM. Porfirio has been…

Cook County, Events, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Veterans

Pappas: School districts hiked property taxes on Cook County homes, businesses

October 30, 2023October 30, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pappas: School districts hiked property taxes on Cook County homes, businesses An analysis of Cook County’s 1.8 million property tax bills for 2022 shows that school districts are chiefly responsible for hefty tax bills that are due Dec. 1, according to Treasurer Maria Pappas. The median residential tax bill in the north and northwest…

Chicago, Cook County, Education, Government, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Qualifying disabled veterans are fully exempt from paying property taxes

October 28, 2023October 28, 2023 News Editor No Comments

Qualifying disabled veterans are fully exempt from paying property taxes By Maria Pappas Veterans deserve our thanks, especially those whose abilities were diminished as a result of active military service. Illinois law recognizes that. Qualifying veterans whose disabilities are certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are eligible for tax breaks. Veterans classified as…

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

Chicago and other cities should launch initiatives to help fathers

October 28, 2023October 28, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Chicago and other cities should launch initiatives to help fathers The Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. is calling on the City of Chicago and cities all over America to create programs that are similar to Milwaukee’s Fatherhood Initiative. Attorney Jeffery Leving, founder and president of the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd….

Chicago, Cook County, Jeffery Leving, Law, News, Radio

No one injured in structure fire at 135th an Harlem, Al-Hayba Hookah Lounge

October 21, 2023October 24, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

No one injured in structure fire at 135th an Harlem, Al-Hayba Hookah Lounge At 5:06 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, companies of the Orland Fire Protection District and Palos Heights Fire District dispatched in response to a possible structure fire at the Al-Hayba Hookah Lounge, 13500 S Harlem Ave (formerly the Ale House) on…

Cook County, Fire, News, NewsWire, Orland Fire Protection District, Orland Park, Photos, Suburban Chicagoland

The Importance of Checking Your Furnace, Winter is Coming!

October 21, 2023October 24, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

The Importance of Checking Your Furnace, Winter is Coming! The weather might be crisp and lovely right now, but Chicago’s fierce winter winds and snow are on their way. Before it gets colder, take this time to check your furnace and any other appliances that may have been damaged in the June 29 – July…

Cook County, Flooding, Government, Health, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland

Pappas: Second Installment 2022 tax bills are now online, two weeks before they are mailed

October 21, 2023October 24, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pappas: Second Installment 2022 tax bills are now online, two weeks before they are mailed Cook County property owners who don’t want to wait until their property tax bills arrive in the mail may now view, download and pay their Second Installment bill for the 2022 Tax Year online at cookcountytreasurer.com, Treasurer Maria Pappas announced…

Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Grasso responds to Pekau’s pathological lies and abuse of his village office

October 20, 2023October 28, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Grasso responds to Pekau’s pathological lies and abuse of his village office Real Republican Gary Grasso responds to Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau’s vicious political lies and mischaracterizations. Pekau made his political attacks in his taxpayer funded position as Mayor of Orland Park, something Pekau does quite often. By Ray Hanania Orland Park Mayor Keith…

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

Spyropoulos seeking election as Cook County Clerk

October 17, 2023October 24, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Spyropoulos seeking election as Cook County Clerk For the past 13 years, you’ve known Mariyana Spyropoulos as a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. But she began her career as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney before moving to private practice. There, she saw firsthand how vital it is for our courts to be…

Cook County, elections, Government, News