Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
The levy: It’s not a dam, but it is a word you should know! 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 the heart of the answer is something called the tax levy. Simply…
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Speaker Welch says keeping Bears Stadium in Illinois important The Illinois General Assembly, House and Senate, did not pass the key stadium bill before adjourning last week as public concern focused on proposals to pass tax breaks for the Bears organization which is extremely profitable and earned more than $600 million last year, according to…
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Illinois Takes a Major Step to Protect Homeowners By Maria Pappas Owning a home has long been the foundation of financial security for American families. It’s typically a person’s largest investment, one that represents hard work, sacrifice, and a chance to build generational wealth. That’s why the Illinois General Assembly’s passage of House Bill…
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Important News: WLS TV spotlights achievements of Maria Pappas, returns millions to taxpayers By Ray Hanania WLS TV recently did an extensive report that showed how Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas was refunding property tax overpayments and crediting failed deductions to tens of thousands of Cook County property tax owners. The return of the overpayments…
Property Tax Pointers: 10 Must-Know Tips for Homeowners By Maria Pappas As Cook County Treasurer, I’ve learned that the property tax system can be confusing and intimidating. To help, I’ve created 10 tips to better understand your property taxes. Familiarize yourself with the Cook County Treasurer’s Office Website Visit cookcountytreasurer.com, your one-stop shop for property…
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Cardenas Urges Full Passage of 2026 Tax Relief for Families of Fallen Heroes, Calls on Eligible Spouses to Apply Chairman George Cardenas of the Cook County Board of Review today presented the Surviving Spouse Tax Abatement Recommendations for Tax Year 2026 to the Cook County Board of Commissioners, urging full passage and encouraging eligible families…
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Honors Mothers from Around the World in Downtown Office Celebration with Live Music and Awards Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas hosted a special celebration honoring the enduring impact of mothers on Monday, May 11 at 2:00 p.m., in the Treasurer’s Office at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 112. Pappas recognized…
The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes Column: Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas 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…
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Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas: You May Be Owed Money For Overpaying Property Taxes Up To 20 Years Ago By Maria Pappas My office is managing $105 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…
OIG Finds the City Council Office of Financial Analysis Provided Limited Assistance to City Council in Budget Planning and Decision Making The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has completed an audit of the City Council Office of Financial Analysis (COFA). OIG’s objective was to determine whether COFA fulfilled its mission of providing…
Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas: Thirty Years of Runaway Property Taxes Demand Action By Maria Pappas Since I came into this office in 1998, there’s been one constant, the inexorable rise of property tax bills. To better understand why, my office conducted a 30-year analysis of property tax data. The findings…
Lipinski and Hanania debate, discuss Trump War on Iran, abandoning Ukraine, misunderstanding Birthright and 14th Amendment Two Guys on Politics podcasters Ray Hanania and Bill Lipinski discussed President Trump’s speech on the Iran war, expressing disappointment with its lack of new information and strategic direction. They debated the merits and concerns of the ongoing Iran…
Pappas Study Calls for Halt to Runaway Property Taxes Cook County property taxes have grown at twice the rate of inflation over the past three decades, forcing home and business owners to turn over an ever-greater percentage of their annual earnings to local governments, according to a study released Monday by Treasurer Maria Pappas. During…
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Paying your tax bill online is easy and safe, but you can also pay by mail or in person Column: Your Property Taxes with the Cook County Treasurer In 1789, Ben Franklin wrote that nothing was certain “except death and taxes.” Let’s focus on the taxes part of the great American statesman’s uncomfortable reminder: The…
Statement from John Harrell Candidate for the 8th Illinois House District in the March 17, 2026 Democratic Primary election Voters in the 8th District face many challenges and issues that need to be addressed and that are at stake in this election. One of the most important is curtailing rising property taxes. They need to…
Hastings: new legislation could save homes, protect equity for families facing tax sales SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Michael E. Hastings is supporting legislation designed to provide critical relief to Cook County homeowners at risk of losing their homes in the county’s 2023 tax sale. Hastings, a chief co-sponsor on the bill, worked to pass the…
Important News: TIF expert Tom Tresser on the push to fund new Bears stadium with taxpayer money Important News brings you reporting and commentary that is important to our lives from other writers and news sources. In this post, TIF expert Tom Tresser discusses the downside of the rush to use tax dollars to fund…
Ryan Statement on Budget Preparation for More Affordable Illinois Following Budget Address CHICAGO — Following the budget address delivered by Governor Pritzker on Wednesday, state Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen, is prepared to begin the long process of securing an affordable budget that will lower the cost of living for Illinois families and improve safety in…