CHICAGO — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas reminded travelers that they may request duplicate tax bills to be mailed to a winter address if they expect to be out of town between now and the March 2 due date for the First Installment bills.

In addition, Pappas announced that for the first time, a Chicagoland bank, Bridgeview Bank & Trust, will give its customers the ability to pay Cook property taxes at branches locally and in Arizona.

Bridgeview Bank & Trust is among more than three dozen community banks that will provide services exclusively to their customers so that they may submit tax payments in their bank lobbies. That includes Bridgeview Bank's facilities in Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona. Customers of participating community banks will receive on-the-spot confirmations of their tax payments.

"We introduced the Winter Traveler program, because (1) growing numbers of residents escape Chicago winters, and (2) the Postal Service often does not forward tax bills with the usual 'or current owner' address field," Pappas said. "Under this program, the taxpayer asks for a duplicate bill to go to the winter address—and they don't have to change their billing address now or when they get back home." Upward of 300,000 Cook County properties are owned by retirees and seniors.

Duplicate bills will be mailed to winter travelers the week of Jan. 27, 2004, unless otherwise requested by the taxpayer. Taxpayers interested in this program must send a written request with their property index number, winter address, phone number (and, if available, e-mail address) to:

Attn: Winter Traveler
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas
118 N. Clark St., Room 112
Chicago IL 60602

Taxpayers also may send the request by e-mail by going to www.cookcountytreasurer.com and clicking on "contact us."