Category: Maria Pappas

Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago

October 8, 2025October 8, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Cook County, Culture, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders

October 6, 2025October 6, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Indian Consul General Somnath Ghosh will host a Diwali celebration to honor Indian American community leaders, activists, and entrepreneurs for their outstanding contributions to the cultural, civic, and economic life of Cook County. The event will…

Cook County, Culture, Festival, Maria Pappas, News, Religion

The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes

October 3, 2025October 3, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes By Maria Pappas Every year, my office hears from thousands of homeowners who run into problems with their property taxes due to common errors. Here are the five most common mistakes homeowners make and what you can do to avoid them. Paying Twice for the…

Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Taxes

The Pappas Portal: Free News You Can Use

September 19, 2025September 19, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

The Pappas Portal: Free News You Can Use By Maria Pappas When it comes to property taxes in Cook County, a lot of people feel like they’re staring at a 1,000-piece puzzle—and someone hid the box with the picture on the cover. That’s why I want to tell you about a tool that helps you…

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

What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill

September 5, 2025September 5, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds

August 22, 2025August 22, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

John Harrell formally announces candidacy to succeed La Shawn Ford at West Side rally

August 11, 2025August 11, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

John Harrell formally announces candidacy to succeed La Shawn Ford at West Side rally Community, religious, and elected leaders endorse Harrell for the 8th State House District at a press conference held at Macarthur Restaurant, 5412 W. Madison Street, Chicago, Monday, April 11, 2025 Chicago, IL – John Harrel formally announced his candidacy for the…

Chicago, elections, Events, Government, Illinois Legislature, Maria Pappas, News, news release, NewsWire, Politics, Releases, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language

August 8, 2025August 8, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Blogger, Commentary, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Taxes

How My Office Handles Billions — And Protects Every Penny

July 25, 2025July 26, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN

July 12, 2025July 12, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

How Technology Changed the Cook County Treasurer’s Office

June 27, 2025June 27, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Blogger, Commentary, Maria Pappas, Opinion

Understanding Cook County Property Taxes: A Guide for Homeowners

June 13, 2025June 13, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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….

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

Cook County’s Annual Tax Sale to be Postponed for Seven Months

June 4, 2025June 4, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas

May 31, 2025May 31, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

The $2 Billion Wealth Transfer: How Cook County’s Property Tax Appeals System Rewards Businesses at the Expense of Homeowners

May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

The $2 Billion Wealth Transfer: How Cook County’s Property Tax Appeals System Rewards Businesses at the Expense of Homeowners By Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas After analyzing over 2 million Cook County property tax appeals filed between 2021 and 2023, researchers in my office uncovered a troubling trend: the system shifted nearly $2 billion in…

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

The $2 billion wealth transfer: How Cook County’s property tax appeals system rewards businesses at the expense of homeowners

May 5, 2025May 5, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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When it comes to voting on property tax referendums, the few decide for the many

May 2, 2025May 2, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

You May Be Owed Money For Overpaying Property Taxes Up To 20 Years Ago

April 18, 2025April 18, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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