Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Bedford Park suspect arrested, charged by Bridgeview Police in remote car-start killing A 20-year-old Bedford Park man was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder late Friday evening in the shooting death of a Bridgeview man who was walking to his car, which he remote started. Arturo Cantu, 39, was shot twice as he left…
Treasurer Pappas honors business, community leaders during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognized 14 business and community leaders with Certificates of Excellence during an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration. The event took place at 3 p.m. Friday, May 17, at the Cook County Treasurer’s…
Senior freeze exemptions help prevent huge spikes in property tax bills By Maria Pappas Many senior citizens on fixed incomes face the challenge of managing their property taxes. They may be eligible for a tax break known as the “Senior Freeze” Exemption. My website, cookcountytreasurer.com, explains the eligibility requirements and can walk you through the…
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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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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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Pappas urges property owners to pay First Installment tax bills by Friday, March 1 due date First Installment Tax Year 2023 property taxes are due Friday, March 1, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas reminded taxpayers today. The Treasurer’s Office posted nearly 1.8 million bills online at cookcountytreasurer.com in early December and mailed printed bills to…
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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Illinois program lets senior citizens defer up to $7,500 per year in property taxes Your Property Taxes column with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas 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 up…
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Cook County Department of Public Health Urges Suburban Cook County to Take COVID Precautions During the Holiday Season COVID hospital admissions low, but increasing Although COVID-19 hospital admissions in suburban Cook County continue to be low, they have almost doubled since the beginning of November; and emergency room visits associated with COVID have been trending…
Pappas: School districts hiked property taxes on Cook County homes, businesses An analysis of Cook County’s 1.8 million property tax bills for 2022 shows that school districts are chiefly responsible for hefty tax bills that are due Dec. 1, according to Treasurer Maria Pappas. The median residential tax bill in the north and northwest…
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Spyropoulos seeking election as Cook County Clerk For the past 13 years, you’ve known Mariyana Spyropoulos as a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. But she began her career as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney before moving to private practice. There, she saw firsthand how vital it is for our courts to be…
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Pappas helps phone bank caller receive whopping $11,870 property tax refund By Maria Pappas “Your Property Taxes” column with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Helping taxpayers obtain refunds for property tax overpayments is one of the most rewarding parts of my job as Cook County Treasurer. My office recently helped a south suburban resident receive…
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Cook County Announces Pilot Program to Provide Free Rabies Vaccines and Microchips to Pets of County Veterans and Service Members The one-day Vets and Pets clinic is scheduled for Saturday, July 1st. Limited to first 200 pet owners. Located in the city of Chicago The Cook County Department of Veterans Affairs and the County’s Department…
Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Opens Satellite Office in Leyden Township The office, which will be staffed on the first Tuesday of each month, will allow for Commissioner Aguilar and his office to increase constituent services for Leyden Township residents On Tuesday, May 16th, Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar joined Leyden Township officials…
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Overnight road closures set for Roberts Road and 87th Street as part of Tri-State Tollway reconstruction work Local road closures with detours needed over next two weeks to safely accommodate bridge beam placement Overnight local road closures with detours will be scheduled over the next two weeks on Roberts Road and 87thStreet to accommodate mainline…
Cook County Awards Community-Based Service Providers $25 Million to Address Gun Violence IDHS and Cook County Justice Advisory Council partner to expand Anti-Violence Programming in vulnerable communities In response to high levels of gun violence experienced since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Department of Human Services Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP),…
America should stand with Ukraine and set aside internal politics By Ray Hanania The terrorist regime in Tehran, Iran is providing weapons to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Iran is the same nation that supports terrorist militias that have targeted American soldiers who are fighting to eradicate the ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria. And,…
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