Cook County Treasurer

The Cook County treasurer is the treasurer of county government in Cook County, Illinois.

Office description The Cook County treasurer oversees the second-largest system of property tax collection and distribution in the United States. The inaugural holder of the office of treasurer was Archibald Clybourn, an early settler of Cook County. The office was established in 1831, and since 1835 has been an elected, partisan position. Its elected terms were initially two years in length- Prior to 1835, it was appointed by the three-member Cook County Board of Commissioners. Today the terms are four years.

The treasurer holds responsibility for printing and mailing bills based on data they are provided by other county and state agencies regarding assessments, exemptions, and tax rate. The treasurer is responsible for the collection of $12 billion in taxes annually from owners of over 1.8 million parcels of property. The treasurer is responsible for the distribution of tax funds to approximately 2,200 local government agencies with the jurisdiction to collect taxes, including school districts, municipalities, townships, park systems, forest preserve systems, libraries, public health and safety agencies, election authorities, economic-development agencies, and public-works bonds. The treasurer needs to maintain an investment policy and strategy. The treasurer is tasked with receiving and safely keeping revenues and other public funds of the county, and all other money authorized by the law to be paid to them, and to disburse these funds in accordance to the law.

Under state law, to assist them with the execution of their duties, the treasurer appoints deputies, assistants, and personnel. The treasurer must file regular reports with the president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners providing summary of the financial status of their office. The treasurer also, per state law, oversees the process of refunding overpayment of taxes.

As of 2022, the salary paid to the elected Cook County treasurer is $115,500. As of October 2021, the Cook County treasurer's office has 58 employees and a total annual budget of $12,703,015.

Officeholders

TreasurerTerm in officePartyNotesCite Archibald Clybourn March 1831–March 1834 Isaac Harmon March 1834–March 1835 Henry Kimball March 1835–March 1836 The first elected Treasurer Samuel J. Trowbridge March 1836–June 1837 Edward E. Hunter June 1837–May 1838 John Calhoun May 1838–June 1839 Nathan H. Bolles June 1839–October 1839 Isaac Cook October 1839–August 1843 Anton Getzler August 1843–August 1847 William L. Church August 1847–November 1849 James Long November 1849–November 1851 Horatio N. Heald 1851–1855 Michael Gleason 1855–1857 Augustus H. Boyden 1857–1861 Jacob Rehm 1861–1865 Jesse M. Allen 1865–1867 Thomas O. Osborn November 1867–1869 H.S. Rexford 1869–1871 Julian Sidney Rumsey 1871–1873 Republican Henry B. Miller 1873–1875 Louis C. Huck 1875–1877 S.H. McCrea 1877–1879 William T. Johnson 1879–1882 William C. Seipp 1882–1886 Democratic John R. Thompson ____–1910 Republican W. L. O'Connell 1910–____ Democratic H. R. Gibbons December 1918–April 19, 1921 Democratic Elected in 1918; died in office Patrick J. Carr April 20, 1921–____ Appointed by Cook County Board of Commissioners on April 20, 1921 George F. Harding Jr. 1926–30 Joseph McDonough 1930–1934 Elected in 1930; died in office Robert Sweitzer December 4, 1934–1935 Democratic Elected in 1934, removed from office by vote of the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1935 Joseph L. Gill 1935–1936 Democratic Appointed in 1935 Louis E. Nelson 1946-1950 Republican Herbert C. Paschen 1954–1958 Democratic Francis S. Lorenz 1958–September 1961 Democratic Elected in 1958; resigned to accept appointment as Illinois Treasurer 'Illinois Blue Book 1961-1962,' Biographical Sketch of Francis S. Lorenz, pg. 106-107'Retired Illinois appeals Judge Francis S. Lorenz dies at age 93-Public service career includes Chicago city lawyer, Cook County treasurer and state transportation chief,' Chicago Tribune, Mary Owens, July 2, 2008 Bernard J. Korzen Edward J. Rosewell December 1974–December 1998 Democratic Elected in 1974, 1988, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 Maria Pappas December 1998–present Democratic Elected in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2019, 2014, 2018, 2022

Recent election results

| | Jean Reyes Pechette | | Republican

|1998 | | Maria Pappas | | Democratic | | 978,373 (77.79%) | | Anthony Peraica | | Republican | | 279,355 (22.21%)

|2002 | | Maria Pappas | | Democratic | | 998,480 (76.20%) | | Richard J. Daniels | | Republican | | 311,787 (23.80%)

|2006 | | Maria Pappas | | Democratic | | 1,074,756 (83.70%) | | Erik Peck | | Republican | | 209,253 (16.30%)

|2010 | | Maria Pappas | | Democratic | | 1,042,318 (77.21%) | | Carol A. Morse | | Republican | | 307,612 (22.79%)

|2014 | | Maria Pappas | | Democratic | | 1,048,234 (100%)

|2018 | | Maria Pappas | | Democratic | | 1,447,145 (99.26%) | Others | Write-ins | 10,780 (0.74%)

References

Cook County Treasurer

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