Property owners have through Tuesday, March 2, 2004, to pay the first installment property tax bills for tax year 2003, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

Pappas noted that government offices are closed Monday, March 1, for the Casimir Pulaski Day holiday, but taxpayers wishing to pay on that day can:

• Go to any of LaSalle Bank's nearly 130 locations with the entire bill to pay by cash or check.
• Go to 134 other banks participating in the Treasurer's Community Bank Outreach program with the entire bill to pay by direct debit from a checking or savings account held at the bank.  (See www.cookcountytreasurer.com for a list of participating banks.)
• Pay on-line at www.cookcountytreasurer.com by direct debit from any checking or savings account, a 24-hour service, which will operate until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 2.

Payments that are mailed in must be received in an envelope postmarked no later than March 2.   Payments received after that date face penalties of 1.5 percent per month, as mandated by state law.