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NATIONAL CERTIFIED NURSES DAY MARCH 19TH
Wednesday • March 19, 2025 INSIDE THIS ISSUE • GAMES & PUZZLES - Page 4 • LIBRARY EVENTS - Page 5
Cook County Assessor’s Federal Appraisal Data Plan Receives Support from National Association of Counties The Board of Directors of the National Association of Counties (NACo) called for the release of property characteristics data from the federal government, a crucial step to improving assessment accuracy and fairness across the country. NACo, a national county government group, endorsed the resolution on March 1 during the group’s annual legislative conference following adoption by NACo’s Committee on Community, Economic and Workforce Development. The resolution, sponsored by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Maricopa County Assessor Eddie Cook. calls for the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to release its dataset of millions of property appraisals to 16 of the largest assessment offices in the country. This proposal tackles a national problem in the property tax system – the tendency for assessments to be regressive. This means that less valuable homes are overvalued, while expensive homes are undervalued. The effect of this can be that working-class homeowners end up paying more than their fair share in property taxes, particularly compared to the very wealthiest homeowners. Researchers have suggested that one reason for this regressivity is a lack of data about property characteristics.
With more data, the Cook County Assessor’s Office and other assessment jurisdictions around the country can improve the accuracy and fairness of their assessments. “In recent years, we’ve eliminated a large portion of the regressivity in Cook County’s residential assessments,” said Assessor Kaegi. “With the release of this data, we would be able to clear one of the final hurdles to achieving thoroughly fair and accurate assessments.” The FHFA collects appraisal records from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises that guarantee mortgages. The Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) of these records contains parcel-level data on property characteristics. Currently, most of this data is inaccessible to government assessors. To make assessments fairer and more accurate, the Cook County Assessor’s Office, along with 15 other assessment jurisdictions, first asked the FHFA to share this appraisal data in 2021. “This is a crucial step as we strive to obtain additional information that will improve our data sets and lead to fairer and more equitable property valuations for homeowners,” said Maricopa County Assessor Cook. “I am grateful to the NACo Board for supporting our efforts.”
Mike Ziener Named Vice President of Development for Illinois at the American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society compared to White populations, (ACS) is pleased to announce the and Black individuals face a appointment of Mike Ziener as the disproportionately higher risk new Vice President of Development of dying from prostate, stomach, Illinois. With a distinguished career and uterine cancers. Additionally, dedicated to philanthropy, advocacy, pancreatic cancer remains a and fundraising, Mike brings a formidable challenge, with a fivewealth of experience and a deep year survival rate of just 8% for commitment to the ACS mission of the majority of those diagnosed ending cancer as we know it, for with exocrine pancreatic tumors. everyone. In addition, cancer incidence Mike will be a driving force behind has generally declined in men the ACS Illinois Development team, but risen in women, shifting the the second-largest market for the burden of disease. organization, overseeing fundraising Mike’s leadership will be operations, corporate partnerships, instrumental in addressing these major events, and philanthropic critical issues. His expertise initiatives. Under his leadership, the in donor relations, strategic Illinois team intends to raise crucial partnerships, and community Mike Ziener, the new Vice President of funds to support critical patient engagement will fuel ACS’s efforts Development Illinois .(Photo provided) services, groundbreaking research, to advance research, provide ____________________________ advocacy efforts, and cancer education. patient support, and drive health “This fight is deeply personal for equity initiatives. me and so many of us. With millions facing a cancer “Together, we can change what cancer looks like for the diagnosis nationwide in 2025 – including an estimated next generation,” Ziener added. “I want to prevent a child 78,870 new cases and 23,170 deaths in IL – we have a from losing his mother like I did at the age of nine.” real opportunity to step up, rally support, and make a For more information about the American Cancer difference,” said Ziener. “My focus is on bringing people Society’s efforts and how to get involved, visit www. together—business leaders, donors, and communities— cancer.org. to make sure we have the funding needed for our About the American Cancer Society research, patient programs, and advocacy needed to The American Cancer Society is a leading cancerchange the future of cancer.” fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we The impact of ACS’s work is evident in the progress know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we made against cancer over the past three decades. have been improving the lives of people with cancer and The overall cancer death rate has declined by 34% their families as the only organization combating cancer since 1991, saving approximately 4.5 million lives through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are through improved treatments, early detection, and committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to reduced smoking rates. However, significant disparities prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, persist. Mortality rates for certain cancers are two to visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227three times higher in Native American populations 2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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