Tag: property taxes

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

January 21, 2024January 21, 2024 Ray Hanania 3 Comments

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…

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

Slashed interest rate on late property tax payments could prevent home loss

December 16, 2023December 16, 2023 Ray Hanania 2 Comments

Slashed interest rate on late property tax payments could prevent home loss By Maria Pappas As my office prepares for the Annual Tax Sale, we’re doing all we can to help people avoid losing their homes because of unpaid property taxes. One of the biggest legislative reforms to the Illinois property tax system in decades…

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

New tool shows where property tax dollars go and informs fed up taxpayers

December 3, 2023December 3, 2023 Guest Columnist 1 Comment

New tool shows where property tax dollars go and informs fed up taxpayers By Maria Pappas When I saw how recent property tax bills shocked and angered many Cook County homeowners I knew people needed to understand why their taxes are so high. I began hearing from frustrated homeowners before tax bills landed in early…

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

Treasurer Maria Pappas unveils online tool detailing property tax spending as Dec. 1 tax due date looms

November 28, 2023November 28, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Treasurer Maria Pappas unveils online tool detailing property tax spending as Dec. 1 tax due date looms Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas today unveiled an innovative online tool that for the first time calculates year-to-year changes for each property tax bill and shows where tax dollars go. The search tool at cookcountytreasurer.com is available as…

Chicago, Cook County, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Pappas: School districts hiked property taxes on Cook County homes, businesses

October 30, 2023October 30, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Chicago, Cook County, Education, Government, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Pappas: Property tax bills will soon be due. Are you getting all your exemptions?

October 15, 2023October 24, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pappas: Property tax bills will soon be due. Are you getting all your exemptions? Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas By Maria Pappas If you own a home or other real estate in Cook County, chances are you will have a property tax bill due soon. Property taxes in Illinois are billed…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Cook County, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Pappas’ office helps Chicago couple get $2,447 property tax refund

September 15, 2023September 15, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pappas’ office helps Chicago couple get $2,447 property tax refund Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas By Maria Pappas Many Cook County homeowners are losing thousands of dollars in savings because they are not taking advantage of property tax breaks. My office recently helped an older couple on Chicago’s North Side receive…

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

Maria Pappas applauds passage of historic property tax reform law cutting the interest on late taxes

August 12, 2023August 12, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Maria Pappas applauds passage of historic property tax reform law cutting the interest on late taxes Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into law historic reforms to fix long-standing racial inequities and abuses in the state’s property tax system spotlighted in two studies issued last year by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. Pappas’ property…

Cook County, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Taxpayers have an extra month to pay First Installment of Tax Bills

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Taxpayers have an extra month to pay First Installment of Tax Bills In Cook County, first installment property tax bills are ordinarily mailed around February 1 and are due on March 1. This year, however, the first installment bills will not be mailed until late February or early March and will have an April 3…

Cook County, News, Orland Township, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas refunding more than $47 million to homeowners

January 19, 2023January 19, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas refunding more than $47 million to homeowners More than 53,000 property owners who overpaid their First Installment taxes last year will automatically get back more than $47 million in refunds starting this week. “If you have a refund coming, we’ll find you and return your money,” Pappas said. “By putting…

Cook County, Government, News, Taxes

First Installment Cook County property taxes due date pushed to April 3

January 4, 2023January 4, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

First Installment Cook County property taxes due date pushed to April 3 Cook County property owners will have an extra month to pay their First Installment property taxes this year, and their bills are already available online. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed HB 5189 into law last month making Monday, April 3, 2023, the new due…

Chicago, Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Maria Pappas: Your Cook County property tax bill is online now

November 15, 2022November 15, 2022 Ray Hanania No Comments

Maria Pappas: Your Cook County property tax bill is online now Cook County’s Second Installment property tax bills have been posted at cookcountytreasurer.com, where bills can be viewed, downloaded and paid with no added surcharge. “My office has finally received the figures to print 1.8 million property tax bills,” said Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas….

Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Study shows tax investors exploit property tax laws targeting Black, Latino communities

October 19, 2022October 19, 2022 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Study shows tax investors exploit property tax laws targeting Black, Latino communities New Pappas study: Tax investors exploit Illinois property tax law they shaped to reap millions in profits from Black and Latino communities. Homeowners and governments losing out on important funding A new study from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office reveals that hedge funds,…

Chicago, Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas opens satellite office at St. Sabina Church

November 17, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas opens satellite office at St. Sabina Church Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas opens satellite office at Saint Sabina Church to help preserve homeownership. Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas has opened a satellite office at Saint Sabina Church as part of her Black Houses Matter homeownership preservation program. Partnering with Father…

Chicago, Cook County, Editors Pick, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Property reassessments released for Lake Township

November 8, 2021November 8, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

Property reassessments released for Lake Township Residential and commercial properties in Lake Township show robust growth The Cook County Assessor’s Office released initial assessments of residential and commercial properties in Lake Township. This is the sixth of eight townships in the City of Chicago to be reassessed in 2021 under the leadership of Assessor Fritz…

Business, Cook County, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Pappas to share government transparency at Tax Conference in Dominican Republic

October 28, 2021October 28, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pappas to share government transparency at Tax Conference in Dominican Republic Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to share government transparency and social equity initiatives at real estate and tax conference in the Dominican Republic Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will discuss how advancements in the Treasurer’s Office have increased transparency and efficiency while promoting social…

Chicago, Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to begin sending $25.4 million in automatic refunds to Cook County homeowners

September 30, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to begin sending $25.4 million in automatic refunds to Cook County homeowners Almost 11,500 property owners who overpaid their First Installment taxes will automatically get back $25.4 million in refunds this month, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said Wednesday Sept. 29, 2021. Almost 4,000 refunds go to homeowners who are…

Chicago, Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

More than $39,000 in property tax overpayments returned to Arab community thanks to Pappas and Arab Chamber

September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

More than $39,000 in property tax overpayments returned to Arab community thanks to Pappas and Arab Chamber American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem, an “Honorary Cook County Treasurer,” said he is working with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to refund thousands in overpaid property taxes that can be refunded. More than $39,000 was refunded during…

Business, Chicago, Cook County, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes