opinion Archives

Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities

March 23, 2025March 23, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities State lawmakers have made it easier for people with disabilities to continue receiving annual property tax relief. By Maria Pappas Cook County homeowners who receive the Persons with Disabilities Exemption no longer must reapply for the benefit every year. Lawmakers acted to allow…

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

Paying your tax bill online is easy and safe, but you can also pay by mail or in person

February 7, 2025February 7, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Paying your tax bill online is easy and safe, but you can also pay by mail or in person By Maria Pappas In 1789, Ben Franklin wrote that nothing was certain “except death and taxes.” Today I write about the taxes part of the great American statesman’s uncomfortable reminder: The due date for Cook County…

Blogger, Comedy, Commentary, Cook County, Humor, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Police, Religion

Recent Ray Hanania columns you might have missed on President Carter, Tom Cotton, Keith Pekau, Camelot, and JFK assassination

February 1, 2025February 1, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Recent Ray Hanania columns you might have missed on President Carter, Tom Cotton, Keith Pekau, Camelot, and JFK assassination Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to throw trash and lies at the residents of his Suburban Chicagoland community in an eNewsletter that is filled with political exaggerations and distortions attacking anyone who challenges his failed…

Chicago, Civil Rights, Comedy, Crime, Federal, Festival, Government, Humor, National, News, Opinion, Orland Park, Podcast, Police, Politics, Racism, Regional Midwest, Religion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Jimmy Carter was a great man who should be emulated By Jeffery M. Leving In January of 2000, I wrote to President Jimmy Carter to ask if he would mediate the Elian Gonzalez case. In case you were too young or just do not remember, Elian Gonzalez was a young boy from Cuba who was…

Blogger, Civil Rights, Commentary, elections, Humor, Jeffery Leving, Opinion, Politics

Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities

September 6, 2024September 6, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Change in law lets tax breaks automatically renew for homeowners with disabilities By Maria Pappas State lawmakers have made it easier for people with disabilities to continue receiving property tax relief on an annual basis. Cook County homeowners who receive the Persons with Disabilities Exemption no longer have to reapply for the benefit every year….

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

Dad reunited with young daughter after ex-wife obtained baseless Order of Protection against him

May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 Guest Columnist No Comments

Dad reunited with young daughter after ex-wife obtained baseless Order of Protection against him By Kate Davis A Chicago dad had a great relationship with his 5-year-old daughter. Even after he and his wife split up, they shared parenting time, and were very amicable – that was until his co-parenting relationship with his ex-wife crumbled…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

Senior citizen exemptions help give homeowners a break on big tax bills

April 20, 2024April 20, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Senior citizen exemptions help give homeowners a break on big tax bills By Maria Pappas Senior citizens can get a break on their property tax bills, but they need to apply when seeking savings for the first time. The popular tax break is known as the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption. For homeowners already receiving the…

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

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

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

Democrats desperate to undermine Trump’s strong primary election polling leads

January 29, 2024January 29, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Democrats desperate to undermine Trump’s strong primary election polling leads The DNC tried to manipulate the primary election process that has been in place for the past 50 years to weaken Trump and strengthen his Republican rivals. It didn’t work By Ray Hanania Free/Sunday Jan. 28, 2024/ https://Hanania.substack.com In a vote on December 2, 2022,…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Law, National, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

Veteran Diana Howard courageously confronts abusive Orland Park Mayor

September 6, 2023September 6, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Veteran Diana Howard courageously confronts abusive Orland Park Mayor By Ray Hanania Most people have come to know Orland Park Village Board meetings as a distasteful bully pulpit where Mayor Keith Pekau belittles his critics, lies and portrays himself as the victim of a vast conspiracy. Pekau claims everyone who criticizes his government actions defames…

Blogger, censorship, Commentary, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Veterans, Veterans Column, women

Two Guys on Politics podcast on weakening fight on crime, increased benefits for non-citizens and Biden and Iran deal

August 11, 2023August 11, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Two Guys on Politics podcast on weakening fight on crime, increased benefits for non-citizens and Biden and Iran deal Former Congressman Bill Lipinski and columnist Ray Hanania release Season 2 Episode 3 of their weekly podcast on American politics this week discussing the weakening fight against crime in America, the increasing benefits being given to…

Bill Lipinski, Commentary, Government, News, Podcast, Police, Politics, rayhanania

Right from the Middle: Who are Ukraine’s greatest supporters next to America?

July 15, 2023February 4, 2024 William Lipinski No Comments

Right from the Middle: Who are Ukraine’s greatest supporters next to America? By William O. Lipinski The United Kingdom is resolved to spend $2.53 billion in aid to Ukraine, second only to the United States, whose contribution at the present time stands at $25.45 billion. Poland is third with its aid to Ukraine standing at…

Bill Lipinski, Blogger, Commentary, Opinion, Politics

Right from the Middle: We must return to Americanism to strengthen our nation

June 24, 2023July 15, 2023 William Lipinski No Comments

Right from the Middle: We must return to Americanism to strengthen our nation By William O. Lipinski In just three short years, our America the Beautiful will celebrate its two hundred and fiftieth birthday giving us a very short time to capture the Spirit of Americanism that our founding fathers believed in and practiced. The Americanism gave us…

Bill Lipinski, Blogger, Commentary, Opinion, Politics

Will Moses ever come down from the mountain top and save America?

June 3, 2023June 3, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Will Moses ever come down from the mountain top and save America? By Ray Hanania America is in a mess. Americans don’t realize they are the frog in the pot of water that is slowly rising to a boil. By the time it happens, it will be too late. Former President Trump has some good…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, National, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

Safe-T Act law being exaggerated by both far Right and Left

September 21, 2022September 21, 2022 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Safe-T Act law being exaggerated by both far Right and Left Democrats have undermined their fight against crime with the confusing and unexplained Safe-T Act. The November 8 election come down to two powerful issues, Roe v Wade for Democrats, and the Safe-T Act for Republicans. The Republican fight against crime has counterbalanced the Democrat…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Crime, elections, Features, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, women

Right from the Middle: America must stand up to China and defend Taiwan

August 17, 2022October 18, 2022 William Lipinski No Comments

Right from the Middle: America must stand up to China and defend Taiwan By William O. Lipinski How do we handle the challenge presented by the recent visit of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Taiwan and China? In a previous column [of May26th] I presented what I believed to be a very formidable defense Taiwan now possesses…

Bill Lipinski, Blogger, Commentary, Opinion

Two Guys on Politics podcast analyzes both sides of the Jan. 6 Insurrection

June 18, 2022June 21, 2022 Ray Hanania No Comments

Two Guys on Politics podcast analyzes both sides of the Jan. 6 Insurrection You can listen to the Podcast on the Insurrection by clicking here or by using the podcast widget below. Former Illinois Congressman William O. Lipinski and former Chicago City Hall reporter and longtime political columnist Ray Hanania host the weekly Two Guys…