"The typical retort when taxpayers gripe about taxation is to point out the services rendered in exchange. Public schools, public safety, park districts and libraries largely are funded through local property taxes. So quit your whining.

"But that isn't the whole story in Illinois, Chicago or Cook County, where property tax hikes levied and collected increasingly are being swallowed up by pension costs for retired workers, health care costs for active workers and debts accumulated to patch up unbalanced budgets….

"Cook County residents can find more information about accumulated government debts at Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas' website, cookcountytreasurer.com."

Read the column.