The Cook County Treasurer's Office has submitted to the Cook County Board a budget for fiscal year 2004 that is $477,703 less than for 2003.

The 3.5 percent budget decrease precedes and significantly exceeds the one percent reduction asked of county offices by Board President John H. Stroger, Jr.

In addition, the Treasurer's Office has reduced its staffing by eight percent from the previous year and returned almost $750,000 in unspent funds from FY 2003 to County taxpayers, Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

"We have worked to make the Treasurer's Office a model of efficiency," Pappas said. "We strive to use less of the people's money to do more of the people's business."

Among the features of Pappas' 2004 budget pending before the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and performance from her office's 2003 budget:

• The $13,364,363 appropriation requested for 2004 is $477,703 less than the $13,842,066 appropriation for 2003 - the third straight year for a decrease.
• The 2004 staffing level of 183 is 16 fewer than the 199 for 2003. Through attrition and retirement, staffing is 27 percent under the 250 employees in 1998.
• Some $750,000 in unspent funds from 2003 is being returned by the Treasurer's Office to the County Board.
• Some $46.5 million in interest and other revenues was collected during FY 2003, about $9 million more than projected, to lessen pressure on property taxes.

In two installments yearly, the Treasurer's Office mails property tax bills for 1.6 million parcels of real estate, collects over $8 billion and distributes the revenue to 1,600 taxing agencies such as municipalities, school districts, and police and fire districts across Cook County.

Pappas said that while her office is spending less, it also has improved efficiency of operation through automation and increased services to taxpayers, including:

• Beginning a lockbox operation at LaSalle Bank that has handled more than two million payments since 1999.
• Depositing lockbox revenues up to 16 times a day, increasing interest earnings for the County, lessening the need for property tax revenues.

• Enabling property owners to pay at any of LaSalle Bank's approximately 130 sites, bringing a place of payment closer to home for many taxpayers across Cook County.
• Inaugurating a Community Bank Outreach Program that allows customers to pay by debit card from checking or savings accounts at 134 banks or their branches, bringing more places of payment within reach of thousands of more homes across Cook County.
• Making electronic payment possible at www.cookcountytreasurer.com from checking and banking accounts. Over two years, almost 60,000 internet payments have been made.
• Refunding some $445 million to almost 365,000 property owners, simplifying refund procedures and lessening the time for a taxpayer to receive a refund from 16 weeks to about eight weeks.
• Making available on the Web site, www.cookcountytreasurer.com, information in 13 languages about the office, exemptions and refunds, and allowing visitors to download refund and other forms.
• Enabling taxpayers to check their payment status, refunds and exemptions on the Web site.
• Providing an Automated Phone System, at 312.443.5100, that gives callers - in English, Polish and Spanish - their payment and refund status, and other information.