Taxing agencies — including schools, parks, libraries and cities — sent property tax bills totaling $19.9 billion in 2025, 3.9% more than in 2024, according to a new analysis from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ research team.

Gov. JB Pritzker issued a proclamation Tuesday to bring financial help to 15 Illinois counties pounded by severe and record-breaking storms over recent weeks.

An overhaul of the county’s property tax system plagued with problems that created “a cascade effect,” Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle said Tuesday

Across two hospitals, 16 community health centers and Cook County Jail, Cook County Health aims to provide healthcare to patients, regardless of their ability to pay. But with federal policy changes looming, the health system’s budget is facing new challenges.

Mobile vaccination clinics will be held at community events and back-to-school fairs throughout suburban Cook County through mid-October. Vaccines for those ages 6 months to 18 years old will be provided at no cost, regardless of immigration or insurance status.

Cook County and the city of Chicago launched the Violence Against Women Task Force at the start of 2026. The task force recently released its first report with recommendations to better unify the court and law enforcement systems.

Since March, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has placed teams of officers — 50 per day, working 12-hour shifts — on the Green and Red lines.

The high court on Tuesday granted certiorari in the case brought by a pair of Cook County residents and gun rights activists who challenged the county’s existing law, which bars residents from owning, buying or transferring 125 rifles, such as the AR-15.

“We encourage you to review your paycheck to ensure you’re being paid the appropriate wage,” Cook County Department of Human Rights and Ethics Executive Director Jennifer King said.

The $20 million includes $5 million awarded through the county’s community violence intervention grant initiative and a new $15 million funding opportunity that will launch later this year, according to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

The projected budget gap facing the county next year is fueled by the impact of litigation related to Safe Roads Amendment, growing payroll and pension liabilities, increasing employee benefit costs and Medicaid enrollment declines due to federal policy changes, according to a budget forecast presentation.

Second installment property tax bills are typically released in early July and due in early August, but those bills have been repeatedly delayed by an overhaul of the county’s property tax system plagued with problems.

Taxing agencies — including schools, parks, libraries and cities — sent property tax bills totaling $19.2 billion in 2024, up more than 180% from the $6.8 billion taxing districts required property owners to pay in 1995, according to the report.

Incumbent Toni Preckwinkle has spent the past 16 years as board president. Running against her was Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly, who has represented the city’s 42nd Ward since 2007.

Early voting sites opened in all of Chicago’s 50 wards Monday. Early voting also expanded to a total of 55 locations for suburban Cook County residents.

The measure is the latest in a series of delays because Illinois is the last to change state law in accordance with a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.