Cook County Seal
MARIA PAPPAS
COOK COUNTY TREASURER
MARIA PAPPAS
COOK COUNTY TREASURER
Payments
Exemptions
Refunds
Seniors
Understanding Your Taxes
Tax and Scavenger Sales
Foreign Language Brochures
Forms
About The Office
News and Press Videos
Close Section
Payments
Payment Plan Calculator
Check Your Payment Status or Make an Online Payment
Pay by Mail or in Person
Pay At Chase Bank
Pay At Your Local Community Bank
Get a Copy of Your Tax Bill
Returned Checks
Information about Prior Year Property Taxes
If Taxes Were Sold
Single or Multiple Payments Via ACH
Multiple Payments Via Wire Transfer
Close Section
Exemptions
Exemption History Search
Homeowner Exemption
Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption
Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Exemption
Persons with Disability Exemption
Home Improvement Exemption
Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel
Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
First Responder's Surviving Spouse Tax Abatement
Close Section
Refunds
Refund Informational Videos
Overpayment Refund Search
Overpayment Refund Status Search
How to Apply for a Property Tax Refund
Uncashed Check Search
Property Tax Appeal Board Decisions
Estate Search
Close Section
Seniors
Exemptions
The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
Third-Party Notification
Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
Close Section
Understanding Your Taxes
How the Illinois Property Tax System Works
Cómo Funciona el Sistema de Impuestos a la Propiedad en Illinois
Understanding Your Tax Bill
Get a Copy of Your Tax Bill
About Your Property Index Number (PIN)
Update Your Name or Mailing Address
Monitoring Your Mortgage
Taxing Districts' Financial Statements and Disclosures
Receive Your Tax Bill By Email
Sign In to Your Electronic Billing Account
20-Year Tax Bill History
View Taxing District Debt Attributed to Your Property
Close Section
Tax and Scavenger Sales
General Information
Search to See If Your Property Has Sold Taxes
Close Section
Foreign Language Brochures
Foreign Language Brochures
Close Section
Forms
Update Your Name or Mailing Address
Duplicate or Overpayment Refund
Property Tax Appeal Board Decisions
Certificate of Error Refund
Third Party Notification Request
Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
Close Section
About The Office
Duties and Responsibilities of the Cook County Treasurer
Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer's Biography
Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer's Resume
Freedom of Information Requests
State of the Office
Investment Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Close Section
News and Press Videos
News and Press Videos
Important Dates
Michael Puccinelli
Director of Media & Public Relations • Communications
312.603.3211
mpuccinelli@cookcountytreasurer.com
Erika Maldonado
Hispanic Liaison
312.603.5057
emaldonado@cookcountytreasurer.com
Office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas
118 North Clark Street, Room 212
Chicago, Illinois 60602
312.603.6202
news@cookcountytreasurer.com
Close
Open Menu
Menu
Close Menu
Close
  • Payments
    Payments
    • Payment Plan Calculator
    • Check Your Payment Status or Make an Online Payment
    • Pay by Mail or in Person
    • Pay At Chase Bank
    • Pay At Your Local Community Bank
    • Get a Copy of Your Tax Bill
    • Returned Checks
    • Information about Prior Year Property Taxes
    • If Taxes Were Sold
    • Single or Multiple Payments Via ACH
    • Multiple Payments Via Wire Transfer
  • Exemptions
    Exemptions
    • Exemption History Search
    • Homeowner Exemption
    • Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption
    • Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Exemption
    • Persons with Disability Exemption
    • Home Improvement Exemption
    • Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel
    • Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
    • First Responder's Surviving Spouse Tax Abatement
  • Refunds
    Refunds
    • Refund Informational Videos
    • Overpayment Refund Search
    • Overpayment Refund Status Search
    • How to Apply for a Property Tax Refund
    • Uncashed Check Search
    • Property Tax Appeal Board Decisions
    • Estate Search
  • Seniors
    Seniors
    • Exemptions
    • The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
    • Third-Party Notification
    • Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
  • Understanding Your Taxes
    Understanding Your Taxes
    • How the Illinois Property Tax System Works
    • Cómo Funciona el Sistema de Impuestos a la Propiedad en Illinois
    • Understanding Your Tax Bill
    • Get a Copy of Your Tax Bill
    • About Your Property Index Number (PIN)
    • Update Your Name or Mailing Address
    • Monitoring Your Mortgage
    • Taxing Districts' Financial Statements and Disclosures
    • Receive Your Tax Bill By Email
    • Sign In to Your Electronic Billing Account
    • 20-Year Tax Bill History
    • View Taxing District Debt Attributed to Your Property
  • Tax and Scavenger Sales
    Tax and Scavenger Sales
    • General Information
    • Search to See If Your Property Has Sold Taxes
  • Foreign Language Brochures
    Foreign Language Brochures
    • Foreign Language Brochures
  • Forms
    Forms
    • Update Your Name or Mailing Address
    • Duplicate or Overpayment Refund
    • Property Tax Appeal Board Decisions
    • Certificate of Error Refund
    • Third Party Notification Request
    • Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel
    • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
    • The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
  • About The Office
    About The Office
    • Duties and Responsibilities of the Cook County Treasurer
    • Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer's Biography
    • Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer's Resume
    • Freedom of Information Requests
    • State of the Office
    • Investment Policy
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • News and Press Videos
    News and Press Videos
    • News and Press Videos
    • Important Dates
Pappas Study: How a Few Voters Control the Fate of More Than a Billion Dollars in New Spending
Cook County Treasurer's Office - 3/12/2024

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.

If history is any guide, only a sliver of the electorate will decide the outcomes of those key ballot questions known as referendums.

An average of less than one out of every three registered voters determined the fate of 75 property tax-related referendums from 2020 to 2023 in Cook County, an analysis by the office of Treasurer Maria Pappas found.

In fact, turnout has been so poor that the fate of nearly half of those referendums was decided by less than 25% of all voters.

“Voters are given the power to make these key decisions, but most don’t bother to vote,” Pappas said. “And when their taxes go up, they are the first to complain.”

When voters stay home, they allow a small group of motivated voters to hold sway over decisions that impact their wallets.

The analysis, titled “The Few Decide for the Many,” found that seven out of 10 referendums were approved, with majorities voting on less than 10% of those that did pass. Those referendums allowed government to create $1.16 billion in new debt and increase property tax caps by more than $59 million.

The analysis also shows how one or two votes, amid poor turnout, determine outcomes of critical ballot questions:

  • In south suburban Hometown, the decision to give officials home rule authority, which includes additional taxing powers, passed by two votes, 381-379. Just 27% of the city’s electorate voted in June 2022.
  • In University Park, a referendum to create a park district failed on a tie vote of 815 – 815, with less than 22% of registered voters deciding the outcome in November 2022.
  • In Stone Park, the fire department was eliminated by a vote of 182-145. Only 21% of the village’s registered voters participated in the March 2020 election.

“I urge voters to get out and vote, and also to not skip the referendum questions lower on the ballot so these issues can truly be determined by a majority and not by a few,” Pappas said.

COOK COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE
Cook County Treasurer's Office
118 North Clark Street, Room 112
Chicago, Illinois 60602
(312) 443-5100
Copyright © 2000 - 2025
Cook County Treasurer's Office
All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer of Liability
Privacy Policy
STAY CONNECTED
Facebook YouTube Instagram LinkedIn SignUp
CONTACT US
Office Hours
Contact Us by Phone
Contact Us by Email
Sign Up for Electronic Tax Billing
Sign Up for the Pappas Portal Newsletter
Frequently Asked Questions
COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Cook County Government
County Assessor
Board of Review
County Clerk
County Clerk - Recordings
County Treasurer
Cook County Property Tax Portal
Payments
Payment Plan Calculator
Check Your Payment Status or Make an Online Payment
Pay by Mail or in Person
Pay At Chase Bank
Pay At Your Local Community Bank
Get a Copy of Your Tax Bill
Returned Checks
Information about Prior Year Property Taxes
If Taxes Were Sold
Single or Multiple Payments Via ACH
Multiple Payments Via Wire Transfer
Exemptions and Savings
Exemption History Search
Homeowner Exemption
Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption
Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Exemption
Persons with Disability Exemption
Home Improvement Exemption
Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel
Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
First Responder's Surviving Spouse Tax Abatement
Refunds
Refund Informational Videos
Overpayment Refund Search
Overpayment Refund Status Search
How to Apply for a Property Tax Refund
Uncashed Check Search
Property Tax Appeal Board Decisions
Estate Search
Services for Seniors
Exemptions
The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
Third-Party Notification
Disabled Veteran Homestead Exemption
Understanding Your Taxes
How the Illinois Property Tax System Works
Cómo Funciona el Sistema de Impuestos a la Propiedad en Illinois
Understanding Your Tax Bill
Get a Copy of Your Tax Bill
About Your Property Index Number (PIN)
Update Your Name or Mailing Address
Monitoring Your Mortgage
Taxing Districts' Financial Statements and Disclosures
Receive Your Tax Bill By Email
Sign In to Your Electronic Billing Account
20-Year Tax Bill History
View Taxing District Debt Attributed to Your Property
Tax and Scavenger Sales
General Information
Search to See If Your Property Has Sold Taxes
Foreign Language Brochures
Foreign Language Brochures
Forms
Update Your Name or Mailing Address
Duplicate or Overpayment Refund
Property Tax Appeal Board Decisions
Certificate of Error Refund
Third Party Notification Request
Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
About the Office
Duties and Responsibilities of the Cook County Treasurer
Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer's Biography
Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer's Resume
Freedom of Information Requests
State of the Office
Investment Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
News and Press Videos
News and Press Videos
Important Dates
Listen or translate this website
with ReachDeck
Translate this website with Google™ Translate:
Language Translation Service Disclaimer
The Cook County Treasurer's Office website was designed to meet the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Mozilla 0.0