Tag: Cook County Treasurer

How a Treasurer’s Office Study Closed a Loophole that Allowed Wealthy Investors to Siphon Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Low-Income areas

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How a Treasurer’s Office Study Closed a Loophole that Allowed Wealthy Investors to Siphon Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Low-Income areas

How a Treasurer’s Office Study Closed a Loophole that Allowed Wealthy Investors to Siphon Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Low-Income areas For years, wealthy investors exploited loopholes in the property tax system to funnel money from local schools and governments into their collective wallets.  But the loopholes were closed after a Cook County Treasurer’s…

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Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Want to go paperless? eBilling lets you receive tax bills via email

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Want to go paperless? eBilling lets you receive tax bills via email
Want to go paperless? eBilling lets you receive tax bills via email

Want to go paperless? eBilling lets you receive tax bills via email Cook County property owners can sign up for eBilling for themselves or family members to receive property tax bills through their computers or smart phones instead of the mail. The eBilling option offers the convenience of allowing spouses to each receive copies of…

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Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Taxes

Illinois lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 a year in property taxes

Posted on By Ray Hanania No Comments on Illinois lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 a year in property taxes
Illinois lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 a year in property taxes

Illinois lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 a year in property taxes By Maria Pappas Illinois offers senior citizens a property tax relief program that works like a loan. The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program allows qualifying seniors to defer or postpone the payment of up to $7,500 a year in property…

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Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Seniors

Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments

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Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments

Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments By Maria Pappas Property owners unable to pay their tax bills in full by the Dec. 15 due date should look at our free online financial planning tool that helps you make smaller, more manageable payments over time. It’s called the Payment Plan…

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

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas column explores options to help pay property taxes by Dec. 15

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Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas column explores options to help pay property taxes by Dec. 15

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas column explores options to help pay property taxes by Dec. 15 If you can’t pay your taxes by the December 15 due date, there’s a 13-month payment plan available! Register now at CookCountyTreasurer.com. Second-Installment Cook County property taxes are due Dec. 15, for nearly 1.8 million Cook County properties.   That…

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Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Taxes

Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes

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Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes

Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes By Maria Pappas Record-high increases in property tax bills have angered many Cook County property owners. My office has released an analysis of the nearly 1.8 million tax bills. It showed that in Chicago the median tax bill jumped 16.7%,…

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

Treasurer Pappas welcomes visitors to ‘Christmas Trees from Around the World’ exhibit

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Treasurer Pappas welcomes visitors to ‘Christmas Trees from Around the World’ exhibit

Treasurer Pappas welcomes visitors to ‘Christmas Trees from Around the World’ exhibit more countries and cultures represented than the Museum of Science and Industry’s Display For the 22nd year, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is celebrating the ethnic holiday traditions of nearly 100 different nationalities in the free “Christmas Trees from Around the World” exhibit…

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Cook County, Government, Maria Pappas, News, Taxes

Rickey Hendon urges freeze on property taxes and new regulations to address unjustified dramatic hikes

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Rickey Hendon urges freeze on property taxes and new regulations to address unjustified dramatic hikes

Rickey Hendon urges freeze on property taxes and new regulations to address unjustified hikes Former Senate leader Hendon urges Freeze on Property taxes, and proposes reforms during a press conference held at the Cook County Building on Thursday, November 20, 2025, Watch video of press conference below Rickey Hendon, former Illinois State Senator and former…

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Government, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Taxes, Videos

Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets

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Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets

Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets By Maria Pappas Illinois lawmakers in recent years have enacted significant changes to property tax exemptions benefiting veterans, including a landmark provision for those who served during World War II. These changes underscore our commitment to support veterans in Cook County and…

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

Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch

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Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch

Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch 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 mortgage, your lender may collect money from you each month and put it in…

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

Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago

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Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago

Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and the Alliance of Polish Clubs USA will host a special event honoring Polish American Heritage Month by unveiling the first-ever U.S. showing of the “Different Faces of Solidarity” photography exhibit by…

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Cook County, Culture, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders

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Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Indian Consul General Somnath Ghosh will host a Diwali celebration to honor Indian American community leaders, activists, and entrepreneurs for their outstanding contributions to the cultural, civic, and economic life of Cook County. The event will…

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Cook County, Culture, Festival, Maria Pappas, News, Religion

The Pappas Portal: Free News You Can Use

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The Pappas Portal: Free News You Can Use

The Pappas Portal: Free News You Can Use By Maria Pappas When it comes to property taxes in Cook County, a lot of people feel like they’re staring at a 1,000-piece puzzle—and someone hid the box with the picture on the cover. That’s why I want to tell you about a tool that helps you…

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Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill

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What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill

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 your…

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

Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds 

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Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds 

Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds  By Maria Pappas Every year, many Cook County homeowners are bombarded with letters, emails and phone calls from vendors offering to help secure property tax refunds — for a fee. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to pay…

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Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language

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We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language

We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language By Maria Pappas Understanding Cook County’s property tax system can be a challenge even for people born and raised here. Words like “assessments,” “exemptions,” and “multipliers” aren’t part of everyday conversation. For many homeowners, deciphering a tax bill feels like solving a puzzle. Now…

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Blogger, Commentary, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Taxes

Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN

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Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN

Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN By Maria Pappas If you own property in Cook County, there’s one number you should always know: your PIN. That’s short for Property Index Number—a 14-digit code assigned to every piece of real estate in the county. It’s tied to the legal description…

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