Category: Opinion

Property Tax Pointers from the County Treasurer: 10 Must-Know Tips for Homeowners

Posted on By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Property Tax Pointers from the County Treasurer: 10 Must-Know Tips for Homeowners
Property Tax Pointers from the County Treasurer: 10 Must-Know Tips for Homeowners

Property Tax Pointers from the County Treasurer: 10 Must-Know Tips for Homeowners By Maria Pappas As Cook County Treasurer, I’ve learned the property tax system can be confusing and intimidating. Whether you’re a new or longtime homeowner, or a senior citizen, I understand your frustrations. To help, I’ve created 10 tips to better understand your…

Read More “Property Tax Pointers from the County Treasurer: 10 Must-Know Tips for Homeowners” »

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

Biden betrays America with pardons while Democrats hide behind hypocrisy

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Biden betrays America with pardons while Democrats hide behind hypocrisy
Biden betrays America with pardons while Democrats hide behind hypocrisy

Biden betrays America with pardons while Democrats hide behind hypocrisy 01-17-25 Biden pardons criminals while Democrats lead the country into a further national divide. Click here to view the YouTube video Podcast or watch using the video widget below.  America is more divided today than it ever was under Trump or Biden mainly because Democrats…

Read More “Biden betrays America with pardons while Democrats hide behind hypocrisy” »

Bill Lipinski, Civil Rights, Comedy, Commentary, Crime, elections, Festival, Government, Humor, National, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland, Videos

Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals
Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals

Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals How is it that members of Congress can far exceed the profit performance of the stock market when it comes to  their own investments? Why did Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi artificially increase the assessments of suburban homes, thereby dramatically increasing…

Read More “Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals” »

breaking news, Comedy, Commentary, Cook County, Crime, Entertainment, Federal, Festival, Government, Humor, Law, National, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Police, Politics, rayhanania, Regional Midwest, Religion, restaurants, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Veterans

Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated
Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated

Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated By Jeffery M. Leving In January of 2000, I wrote to President Jimmy Carter to ask if he would mediate the Elian Gonzalez case. In case you were too young or just do not remember, Elian Gonzalez was a young boy from Cuba who was…

Read More “Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated” »

Blogger, Civil Rights, Commentary, elections, Humor, Jeffery Leving, Opinion, Politics

State program allows senior citizens to defer payments on property tax bills

Posted on By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on State program allows senior citizens to defer payments on property tax bills
State program allows senior citizens to defer payments on property tax bills

State program allows senior citizens to defer payments on property tax bills Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas By Maria Pappas Amid increasing concerns that rapid increases in property tax bills will drive people from their homes, state officials are boosting a program that lets senior citizens defer paying their property tax…

Read More “State program allows senior citizens to defer payments on property tax bills” »

Blogger, Comedy, Commentary, Cook County, Humor, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Seniors

Illinois Attorney General slams Orland Park for withholding critical information on unfiled annual audits

Posted on By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Illinois Attorney General slams Orland Park for withholding critical information on unfiled annual audits
Illinois Attorney General slams Orland Park for withholding critical information on unfiled annual audits

Illinois Attorney General slams Orland Park for withholding critical information on unfiled annual audits By Ray Hanania In another major setback for Keith Pekau, the besieged MAYOR of Orland Park in suburban Chicagoland, the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul ordered the village to release the correspondence between the village and its auditors. The issue surfaced…

Read More “Illinois Attorney General slams Orland Park for withholding critical information on unfiled annual audits” »

Blogger, Commentary, Government, Law, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming
Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming

Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming By Ray Hanania Everyone remembers in January 2015 when an Elementary School District 135 teacher, Cara Labus, was arrested on charges of sexually abusing two young school girls, aged 14, beginning in 2008 in suburban Orland Park. The case was…

Read More “Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming” »

Blogger, Commentary, Education, Law, Opinion, Orland Park, Police, rayhanania, Religion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, women

Video Podcast: Two Guys on Politics: JFK, Ukraine and ICC Arrest Warrants for Putin and Netanyahu

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Video Podcast: Two Guys on Politics: JFK, Ukraine and ICC Arrest Warrants for Putin and Netanyahu
Video Podcast: Two Guys on Politics: JFK, Ukraine and ICC Arrest Warrants for Putin and Netanyahu

Video Podcast: Two Guys on Politics: JFK, Ukraine and ICC Arrest Warrants for Putin and Netanyahu Co-Hosts Ray Hanania joins former Congressman Bill Lipinski on Two Guys on Politics to discuss Trump’s cabinet appointments and the decision by Matt Gaetz to withdraw as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney and to be replaced by…

Read More “Video Podcast: Two Guys on Politics: JFK, Ukraine and ICC Arrest Warrants for Putin and Netanyahu” »

Bill Lipinski, Comedy, Crime, Festival, Humor, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Ukraine, Videos

Comptroller’s Office comments on Pekau Administration’s “resolution”  

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Comptroller’s Office comments on Pekau Administration’s “resolution”  
Comptroller’s Office comments on Pekau Administration’s “resolution”  

Comptroller’s Office comments on Pekau Administration’s “resolution” Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza responds to lies and exaggerations made by beleaguered Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau and his rubber stamp board which has mishandled the village’s finances distinguishing themselves by being among only a few governments that have failed to file two annual financial audits in…

Read More “Comptroller’s Office comments on Pekau Administration’s “resolution”  ” »

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

Lipinski and Hanania discuss Trump cabinet appointments on Video Podcast

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Lipinski and Hanania discuss Trump cabinet appointments on Video Podcast
Lipinski and Hanania discuss Trump cabinet appointments on Video Podcast

Lipinski and Hanania discuss Trump cabinet appointments on Video Podcast Former Congressman Bill Lipinski and coumnist and political writer Ray Hanania discuss Trump’s cabinet appointments and name the news media bias as “the biggest losers” in the presidential election battle between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. View Youtube video podcast below. 11-14-24 Co-Hosts Ray Hanania…

Read More “Lipinski and Hanania discuss Trump cabinet appointments on Video Podcast” »

Bill Lipinski, Blogger, Commentary, elections, Government, Media Bias, NewsWire, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Videos

Third-party notices tell you if a relative or anyone you know misses a tax payment

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Third-party notices tell you if a relative or anyone you know misses a tax payment
Third-party notices tell you if a relative or anyone you know misses a tax payment

Third-party notices tell you if a relative or anyone you know misses a tax payment By Maria Pappas My office lets you sign up a relative or anyone you know receive copies of certified notices that are mailed a month before the Annual Tax Sale if your property taxes become delinquent. You can also register…

Read More “Third-party notices tell you if a relative or anyone you know misses a tax payment” »

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

Orland Park withholds Finance and TIF audits and brings State censure

Posted on By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Orland Park withholds Finance and TIF audits and brings State censure
Orland Park withholds Finance and TIF audits and brings State censure

Orland Park withholds Finance and TIF audits and brings State censure State Comptroller Susana Mendoza slaps the wrist of Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau as TIFs, Taxes, and Audits continue to plague the Southwest suburban village, but is it enough? By Ray Hanania State Comptroller Susana Mendoza suspended the Village of Orland Park from the…

Read More “Orland Park withholds Finance and TIF audits and brings State censure” »

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, construction, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Lipinski and Hanania analyze Vance-Walz VP Debate in video podcast

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Lipinski and Hanania analyze Vance-Walz VP Debate in video podcast
Lipinski and Hanania analyze Vance-Walz VP Debate in video podcast

Lipinski and Hanania analyze Vance-Walz VP Debate in video podcast The vice presidential debate between Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday October 1, 2024 reminded people of a long past era in American politics where civility in discussion of issues overshadowed personal attacks that have polarized America pushing the country…

Read More “Lipinski and Hanania analyze Vance-Walz VP Debate in video podcast” »

Bill Lipinski, elections, Government, News, Opinion, rayhanania

Orland Park mayor defends school district 230 chief who scolded colleague for raising TIF concerns

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Orland Park mayor defends school district 230 chief who scolded colleague for raising TIF concerns
Orland Park mayor defends school district 230 chief who scolded colleague for raising TIF concerns

Orland Park mayor defends school district 230 chief who scolded colleague for raising TIF concerns Mayor Keith Pekau used his eNewsletter to defend School District 230 President Lynn Zeder who attacked a school colleague for raising concerns about the impact Pekau’s 3 new TIFs will have on schools and property taxes By Ray Hanania Mayor…

Read More “Orland Park mayor defends school district 230 chief who scolded colleague for raising TIF concerns” »

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

High School District 230’s President Lynn Zeder should resign from the board

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on High School District 230’s President Lynn Zeder should resign from the board
High School District 230’s President Lynn Zeder should resign from the board

High School District 230’s President Lynn Zeder should resign from the board Opinion: District 230 President Lynn Zeder was aware of plans involving three TIF districts that will siphon hundreds of millions in property taxes from the district’s three high schools, but she has been publicly silent about it. Instead of addressing these TIFs, which…

Read More “High School District 230’s President Lynn Zeder should resign from the board” »

Blogger, Commentary, Education, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Apply for a refund yourself and keep the money you would have paid to a third party

Posted on By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Apply for a refund yourself and keep the money you would have paid to a third party
Apply for a refund yourself and keep the money you would have paid to a third party

Apply for a refund yourself and keep the money you would have paid to a third party By Maria Pappas Some Cook County homeowners are bombarded with ads and solicitations from vendors offering help to obtain refunds on their property taxes. My office has about $93 million available in potential refunds for property tax overpayments…

Read More “Apply for a refund yourself and keep the money you would have paid to a third party” »

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

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

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities
Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities

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….

Read More “Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities” »

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

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Katsenes and Pekau are angry that I blew the whistle on their TIF district threat to taxpayers
Katsenes and Pekau are angry that I blew the whistle on their TIF district threat to taxpayers

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…

Read More “Katsenes and Pekau are angry that I blew the whistle on their TIF district threat to taxpayers” »

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