Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Contact
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Toggle search form
  • US Senator Bernie Sanders
    Sanders: Trump Welcomes War Criminal to White House American Arabs
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children Christian & Muslim
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    CAIR Says Israel Turns Gaza into ‘Human Slaughterhouse’ as Killing of Civilians Continues Arab World
  • photo credit author Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho www.NGPhoto.biz and Wikipedia
    Emergency Court Motions to Stop Elbit Drone Parts Shipment via Frankfurt Airport  Activism
  • American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli soldiers May 11, 2022
    Documentary names soldier it says killed Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022 American Arabs
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ
    Jordan bans 12 news sites for ‘spreading media poison’ following corruption report Arab World
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech Activism
  • ADC creates emergency fund to defend people who are being punished for expressing views on the American-sanction violence by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Photo courtesy of ADC
    ADC Condemns ADL, Rep. Torres’ Defamation of Dr. Lara Sheehi Activism
  • UN Special Committee on Israeli practices in occupied territories warns of a second Nakba  Arab World
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month Activism
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders American Arabs
  • Stuffed Grape Leaves. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    A recipe on how to make Stuffed Grape Leaves with lamb, ox tail and rice American Arabs
  • Andrew Boutros, interim US Attorney Northern District of Illinois. Photo courtesy of the US Attorney's Office
    Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois American Arabs
  • Israeli massacres of Palestinian civilians March 18 2025
    Palestinians demand investigation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza Strip Arab World
  • Illinois Muslim Action Day April 9 2025
    Illinois Muslim Action Day Policies at April 9 Statehouse News Conference American Arabs
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.

Pappas and Arab Chamber help Arabs save $39,000 in property taxes

Posted on September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 By rayhanania No Comments on Pappas and Arab Chamber help Arabs save $39,000 in property taxes
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Pappas and Arab Chamber help Arabs save $39,000 in property taxes

The American Arab Chamber of Commerce partnering with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas organized a review of properties owned by Arabs and Muslims at the Islamic Community Center of Illinois this week and identified more than $39,000 in tax overpayments that can be refunded. Arab Chamber President Hassan Nijem, an “Honorary Cook County Treasurer,” said he is organizing more property tax reviews to help Arabs and Muslims recover their share of more than $79 million Pappas said has been overpaid and can be refunded

By Ray Hanania

Officials of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce partnered with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas this week to help Arab and Muslim American save money on their property tax bills.

Pappas said Cook County property owners overpaid their taxes by more than $79 million, with more than half of the overpayments the result of taxpayers failing to claim various exemptions.

Chamber President Hassan Nijem, who is an “Honorary Cook County Treasurer” working with Pappas to help Arab American and Muslim taxpayers, organized a workshop at the Islamic Community Center of Illinois.

There, Arab and Muslim homeowners met with members of the Treasurer’s staff who helped them review their property taxes and fill out reimbursement forms to re-claim overpayments.

“I am happy to help individuals from the Arab Community to determine whether they are owed money for previous overpayments of property taxes in Cook County,” Pappas said.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.

“About $40 million of the overpayments are the result of property owners not claiming various exemptions to which they are entitled under Illinois law. Those ‘missed’ exemptions can be applied retroactively for this year’s taxes and for the previous three years.”

Pappas said that Arab centers and mosques should gather their members together and have them copy their property tax information and through the American Arab Chamber of Commerce organize a review in which her office will visit their sites to review and complete refund forms for anyone who overpaid.

Nijem said that the lists can be presented to Pappas and her office will also review them to identify properties which overpaid by failing to claim proper deductions and ensure that the overpayments are returned to the community.

“Just this week at the Islamic Community Center of Illinois, from the members who met with the Treasurer’s staff, we were able to identify and fill out refund forms to recover more than $39,000 in money to be returned to the Arab and Muslim property owners,” Nijem said.

For more information on having your records reviewed by the Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and her staff, contact the American Arab Chamber of Commerce by visiting their website at www.AACCUSA.org.

Or call Hassan Nijem to arrange a group review by calling 312-927-6971.

“We need to stop talking about what we need to do and we need to start doing things to help our community,” added Nijem, who this week helped force the City of Chicago and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to reopen some Arab American stores that were closed for minor code violations.

Click here to read the Chicago Tribune story on the fight for Arab business rights against Chicago City Hall racism.

“We need to act more and do less talking. We need to stop telling people what we can do and just do what needs to be done.”

Nijem said more reviews are being organized to help Arab and Muslim organizations, businesses and property owners.

The Treasurer’s website is www.CookCountyTreasurer.com.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.

 

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.

 

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.

 

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem organized a property tax review to return more than $39,000 to members of the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. Pappas said more than $79 million is owed in overpayments to Cook County taxpayers including to Arabs and Muslims.

newswire info
  • About
  • Latest Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israelisnipers shooting and killing hospital workers in Gaza - December 11, 2023
  • CAIR Condemns Israeli Executions of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank   - December 11, 2023
  • Arab and Muslim American voters face a “simple choice” between Biden’s inhumanity and Trump’s edgy politics - December 9, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Activism, American Arabs, Business, Culture, News, Ray Hanania Tags:American Arab Chamber of Commerce, applications, Arabs, Cook County Treasurer, Hassan Nijem, Maria Pappas, Muslims, refunds, tax overpayments

Post navigation

Previous Post: Remembering those killed in the 9/11 backlash
Next Post: AHRC Executive Director Awarded the TSA Certificate of Appreciation

Related Posts

  • Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar shared with the US ... is its future in jeopardy and should it be relocated to protect American soldiers from increasing Qatari extremism? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    Most Americans view Qatar negatively, poll cites Arab News
  • Cook County Board Member John Fritchey, Cook County's only Arab American Commissioner unseated by Toni Preckwinkle.
    Moroccan American pushed out of office in Cook County Arab American History
  • Chicago painter leaves mark in United Arab Emirates Activism
  • Jordan backdrop for three Oscar nominees American Arabs
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC & ACJ hold Zoom meeting on discrimination against Asian Americans  American Arabs
  • Webb discusses candidacy for 10th Ward Chicago alderman American Arabs

More Related Articles

A Free Vanunu Ends The Legend of Vanunu and The Final Chapter American Arabs
Original Statue of Liberty design was Arab woman American Arabs
On March 26, 2024, the Islamic Center of Detroit (ICD) held its annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Ramadan ‘Iftar”. ICD Hosts its Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Ramadan “Iftar” Dinner:  Activism
Bank of America sued for bias against Arabs American Arabs
Palestinian members of Knesset protesting Israel’s Jewish Nation-State Law on the day of voting in 2018. (Screengrab: Knesset Channel courtesy of Adalah) Israeli Government’s decision to involve the Shin Bet and army to fight crime in Arab society is racist and illegal  Arab World
Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Tank (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Kurdish journalist killed, others attacked amid post referendum tensions Arab World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Ray Hanania's 4 times a week columns at https://RayHanania.com at Substack

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Photo courtesy of Journalist Abdennour Toumi
    France: Political Compromise vs Political Instability
    August 28, 2024
  • Zakia Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia
    Arabs eat Middle East food like they are making love
    June 27, 2024
  • Zwar lamb kabob and kufta with white and yellow rice
    Zwar ranked the Best Middle East restaurant in Chicagoland suburbs
    June 8, 2024
  • Pictured: Rahm Emanuel, Afghan activist Salman Aftab who was co-chair of the Iftar dinner, and several non-Arab Muslim leaders. Also pictured is Ald. Joe Moore. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania for Arab News
    Comprehensive look at the failings of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
    January 18, 2024
  • NEWSWIRE
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech
    June 1, 2025
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month
    April 29, 2025
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders
    April 27, 2025
  • Mike Ghouse
    Celebration of 500th Interfaith Marriage Ceremony
    February 14, 2025

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • NEWS
  • US Senator Bernie Sanders
    Sanders: Trump Welcomes War Criminal to White House
    July 9, 2025
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children
    July 2, 2025
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Faisal Abbas Book Anecdotes
    Book Review: Arab author shares his anecdotes living in the United Kingdom
    October 22, 2024
  • Columnist Ray Hanania at the ADC Convention in Dearborn with the author Susan Abulhawa
    Book Review: Mornings in Jenin bySusan Abulhawa
    September 14, 2024
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Television set and remote. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
    MBC GROUP unveils MBCNOW, its brand-new groundbreaking entertainment service aggregator
    February 24, 2025
  • ArabCon 2024 Gala Program features Dr. Cornel West, Macklemore, and more
    September 6, 2024
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2025 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme