Men and women being called to active military service in this country and overseas can defer payment of their Cook County property taxes, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

Pappas said applicants who might qualify for a military-service deferral should contact her office, which is collecting the first installment of taxes for tax year 2003. The due date for the current bill is Tuesday, March 2, 2004.

Illinois law allows county treasurers to grant deferrals of property taxes to those being called to active duty overseas. In the interest of fairness, Pappas said, her office will grant deferrals also to those called to duty in Illinois and the rest of the United States.

Penalties for late payment will be waived in Cook County if the serviceman or servicewoman pays the deferred taxes within a year of returning to civilian life, Pappas said.

Those who might qualify should visit www.cookcountytreasurer.com and download an "Application for Property Tax Relief for Military Personnel," or call 312.443.5100 and reach a customer service representative.

Pappas said the deferral provision covers those in full-time, active service in all branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard, and including the Merchant Marines.

"The men and women whose lives are on the line to serve our country and protect us deserve some consideration for the economic disruption that can come with military service," Pappas said.