Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
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 about $20 billion. That’s not a typo — $20 billion. As Cook County Treasurer, I oversee the second-largest property tax collection and distribution system…
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Podcast: Chicago Public School priority union wages and jobs over educating children Political consultant and analyst Frank Calabrese and syndicated political columnist and former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania dig deep into the challenges facing the Chicago Public Schools, detailing how spending shows the priority is protecting union jobs over enhancing student education in…
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Homeowners hit again as Property Taxes increase $743.8 million in Cook County Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas analysis of property taxes shows that the homeowners have been hit with a $743.8 million increase in property taxes. The bills in mailboxes by Sept. 1, payment due Oct. 1 Cook County homeowners face a sharper increase in…
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Second Installment 2025 tax bills are now online, two weeks before they’re mailed Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas announced today that property owners can now go to cookcountytreasurer.comto view, download and pay their Second Installment bill for the 2025 Tax Year. “If you own property in Cook County, you don’t have to wait until your…
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Chicago Public School budget challenges analyzed in Political-Review podcast hosted by Hanania and Calabrese Political Analyst and consultant Frank Calabrese and political columnist and former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania analyze the financial challenges facing the Chicago Public Schools in the second episode of their video podcast, Political-Review. The podcast, taped on August 10,…
Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes but Keep an Eye Peeled on it By Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer Every year, my office mails more than 1.8 million tax bills to property owners across Cook County. If you have a home mortgage, your lender may collect money from you each month and put it…
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ICC Approves Rare Second Public Hearing in Bolingbrook on Proposed Illinois American Water Rate Increase BOLINGBROOK, IL — August 14, 2026- After listening to the concerns of Bolingbrook residents at the Illinois Commerce Commission’s (ICC) July 14 public hearing, Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta asked the ICC to give the community another opportunity to be heard—this time…
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…