Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Senior citizen exemptions help give homeowners a break on big tax bills By Maria Pappas Senior citizens can get a break on their property tax bills, but they need to apply when seeking savings for the first time. The popular tax break is known as the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption. For homeowners already receiving the…
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Federal lawsuit aims to protect kids from Social media By Jeffery M. Leving SM Despite several attempts at passing legislation to protect kids on social media, I fear lawmakers have not been able to get much of anything passed. Now, 33 states have banded together with the same objective — protecting kids — and are…
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Homeowner exemptions slash tax bills. So why do so many fail to apply? By Maria Pappas Homeowners can reduce their property tax bills by hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year by taking advantage of the Homeowner Exemption. Exemptions are tax breaks. To qualify for the Homeowner Exemption, first-time applicants must have occupied the…
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Chicago aldermen embrace selfish politics over public need Nine Chicago aldermen are hoping to undermine Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson using emotional distractions and are failing to address real issues like cracking down on increasing crime. They are demanding Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) should be stripped of power because he was at a rally where an American flag…
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New study shines light on need for gun storage laws By Jeffery M. Leving SM A new study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions analyzing 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates what many have feared, that America’s gun violence epidemic has gotten worse. In total, 4,752 young lives were…
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Watching the solar eclipse during a different era as a child The first time I saw a Solar Eclipse was at O’Hare Airport in July 1963, in an era of science fiction, nuclear bombs and outer space aliens. I’m not sure the excitement is the same as today as then. By Ray Hanania Free/General/Tuesday April…
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What does it tell you when pharmaceutical ads dominate By Ray Hanania The COVID pandemic gave license to politicians and businesses to pursue their own needs and priorities over the needs of the public. It’s all political BS, of course, when people claim the economy is great. It’s not, unless you are making a fortune….
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Top 10 tips that help homeowners better understand their property taxes By Maria Pappas Homeowners have taught me a few things about property taxes while I have served as Cook County Treasurer. One lesson is that the property tax system is complicated. Many people unfamiliar with the process have told me that they wished there…
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Pekau builds re-election campaign on anti-Muslim bias By Ray Hanania (Originally published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group newpapers): True to his colors, Orland Park’s beleaguered Mayor Keith Pekau is turning to racism and community division to base his re-election campaign. In a recent letter to “supporters,” Pekau launched his campaign using the racist slogan,…
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Many good candidates on March 19 Democratic primary ballot By Ray Hanania I can’t support Congressman Sean Casten this time because he betrayed a campaign promise to maintain an open door on local issues. So, I would recommend a vote for Mahnoor Ahmed, who previously worked for former Congresswoman Marie Newman who was a phenomenal…
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Pappas: When it comes to voting on referendums, the few decide for the many By Maria Pappas If you’ve ever voted, you’ve probably seen one. It’s a referendum, usually asking you to approve some numbers. A referendum is a proposed law on a social or economic issue on which the people can vote, even as…
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Pappas: How a few voters control the fate of more than $1 billion in new spending Statement from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas This election season, voters throughout Cook County will decide whether to repair aging schools, improve a lake front beach, shut down a fire department and give local politicians new powers to tax….
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Garmin 67 W Dash Cam has serious App and installation issues Garmin’s 67 W Dash Cam is a waste of money that is difficult to use and not made for everyday people. The system has flaws. The Garmin App does not work. And there are no good instructions on how to use the system. An…
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Word of mouth helps homeowner get $6,805 refund for missed exemptions By Maria Pappas Word of mouth helped chef Gabriel Miranda of Hickory Hills obtain a $6,805 refund for missed homeowner exemptions. Miranda said he and his wife deposited the money into their savings account. Their monthly bills include private high school tuition for the…
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Lonely fathers need to take steps to end epidemic and provide good examples to their children By Jeffery M. Leving Male loneliness is a problem in this country that you may not have heard of but some experts are now calling it an epidemic and saying it is not only hazardous to mens health, it…
A tribute to Tom Skilling and all meteorologists in Chicagoland By Ray Hanania Meteorology, or the science of guessing the weather on television, has been an entertaining segment since humans began watching “tele-vision.” Oftentimes, the “weather reports” were the least frightening to handle, compared to the growing domination of crime news that has filled up…
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Hanania’s columns: Dune review, Pekau’s disrepect in Orland, #AbandonBiden and Best Middle East Bakeries By Ray Hanania My new syndicated column at www.Hanania.com or www.RayHanania.com has touched on a lot of topics this past week. I write four to six columns every week now, driven by what provokes my mind and I share them through…
Pay your property tax bill online to avoid risk of check-washing fraud By Maria Pappas As the March 1 due date approaches for Cook County property owners to pay their First Installment 2023 tax bills, I encourage people to pay online. It’s more convenient — and much safer. People who still pay their bills by…
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