Category: Opinion

Homeowner exemptions slash tax bills. So why do so many fail to apply?

April 5, 2024April 5, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Cook County, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Taxes

Chicago aldermen embrace selfish politics over public need

April 4, 2024April 4, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Crime, Culture, Government, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Taxes

New study shines light on need for gun storage laws

April 3, 2024April 3, 2024 Ray Hanania 5 Comments

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…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

Watching the solar eclipse during a different era as a child

April 3, 2024April 4, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Environment, Opinion, rayhanania

What does it tell you when pharmaceutical ads dominate

March 30, 2024March 30, 2024 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

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….

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Opinion, rayhanania

Top 10 tips that help homeowners better understand their property taxes

March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

Pekau builds re-election campaign on anti-Muslim bias

March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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,…

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

Many good candidates on March 19 Democratic primary ballot

March 17, 2024March 17, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Pappas: When it comes to voting on referendums, the few decide for the many

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

Pappas: How a few voters control the fate of more than $1 billion in new spending

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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….

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

Garmin 67 W Dash Cam has serious App and installation issues

March 9, 2024March 9, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Blogger, Commentary, Features, News, Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Technology, Transportation, Videos

Word of mouth helps homeowner get $6,805 refund for missed exemptions

March 5, 2024March 5, 2024 Guest Columnist 2 Comments

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…

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

Lonely fathers need to take steps to end epidemic and provide good examples to their children

March 5, 2024March 5, 2024 Guest Columnist No Comments

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…

Blogger, Commentary, Guest Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

A tribute to Tom Skilling and all meteorologists in Chicagoland

March 4, 2024March 4, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Features, Opinion, rayhanania, Television

Hanania’s columns: Dune review, Pekau’s disrepect in Orland, #AbandonBiden and Best Middle East Bakeries

March 2, 2024March 2, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Books & Films, Commentary, Culture, Government, Health, Humor, immigrant, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Seniors, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Veterans

Pay your property tax bill online to avoid risk of check-washing fraud

February 16, 2024February 16, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

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

Senators address cyberbullying but avoid blaming parents

February 4, 2024February 4, 2024 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Senators address cyberbullying but avoid blaming parents Ray Hanania A bipartisan panel of Democrat and Republicans members of the U.S. Senate held a public hearing on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024 in which they accused the owners of social media platforms not doing enough to prevent cyberbullying of children. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee found common…

Blogger, Commentary, Crime, National, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Technology

Right from the Middle: Real estate industry problems weaken Communist China

February 3, 2024February 4, 2024 William Lipinski No Comments

Right from the Middle: Real estate industry problems weaken Communist China By William O. Lipinski The enormous economic Red Dragon of the far East, the People’s Republic of China, that had plans to control all the countries on this planet because of its great economy has fallen victim to its own excesses. The world’s second…

Bill Lipinski, Blogger, Commentary, Opinion