As part of an effort to support the families of brave and fallen first responders in the city, the City Council approved an ordinance sponsored by Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson, 11th Ward, to provide property tax abatements for the husbands and wives of police officers, firefighters, paramedics, active soldiers and other first responders who have died in the line of duty. As part of the ordinance, surviving spouses are eligible to apply for tax exemptions of the City’s property tax bill through the City Clerk of Chicago. Beginning next year with the 2019 property tax bills, the City’s portion of their property tax bill each year may be waived as long as they remain unmarried and reside in the qualified property where they lived with their wife or husband. The City of Chicago will work with the Cook County Board of Review to process and vet all tax abatement applications as part of the proposed ordinance. In 2012, the State of Illinois permitted tax abatements to the families of fallen first responders as long the local and county governments authorized it.