Cook County’s New Property Tax Bills Highlight ‘Broken’ System

Cook County, Ill., homeowners will be paying higher property taxes this year—roughly 30% in some regions of suburban Chicago—and they are getting redesigned bills highlighting the heavier tax burdens.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas unveiled the new “where your money goes” property tax bills Wednesday, arguing that taxpayer awareness is a prerequisite to citizen efforts aimed at creating a more equitable property tax system. The bills compare taxes due for tax year 2023 versus 2022, and itemize levies for a dozen local taxing jurisdictions. The bills were mailed to 1.8 million property owners on July 2, and are due ...