Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today her office is advising 32,591 property owners that they may be qualify for a share of $50,490,351 in refunds for property taxes paid this year. Pappas said her office's new Automated Phone System allows taxpayers to call 312.443.5100, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to learn in English, Polish and Spanish whether they may have a refund due.

Meanwhile, the Treasurer's Office was sending applications to 32,591 property owners for refunds caused by overpayments or duplicate payments on taxes paid this year (for tax year 2002).

Refunds are available from Pappas' Office for the past five tax years. Almost 125,000 taxpayers could claim more than $135 million in refunds dating from tax year 1998, Pappas said.

Even before the new refund applications arrive by mail, taxpayers can check to see if a refund is due by calling 312.443.5100, choosing English, Polish or Spanish and pressing "2."

A taxpayer must use his or her Property Index Number (PIN) for the search, and can receive an application form by fax. Forms should be mailed to Pappas' Office with proof of payment. Refunds are processed in eight to 12 weeks.

"Our new phone system will tell you if a refund might be due from the past five tax years," Pappas said. "This is taxpayer's money and not government's money," Pappas said.

Pappas said her office has increased efforts to inform taxpayers about old refunds. By tax year, here are the numbers of PINs and amounts available to be claimed:

• 1998 – 25,055 PINs, $19,430,228
• 1999 – 24,023 PINs, $17,745,169
• 2000 – 23,120 PINs, $22,516,436
• 2001 – 19,959 PINs, $25,067,809
• 2002 – 32,592 PINs, $50,490,351

"Because we want taxpayers to get what is rightfully theirs, we have designed our Automated Phone System to make it easy to check about possible refunds, day-long and year-round," Pappas said.

A taxpayer returning refund applications should include proof of payment made by the property owner or on the owner's behalf, such as:

• A copy of the front of a canceled personal check.
• A copy of the receipt or front of a cashier's check or money order.
• A copy of the teller receipt, if paid by cash.
• A bank statement showing funds transferred to the Treasurer's Office, if paid online.
• A statement from the mortgage firm, bank or title company, showing the PIN, taxpayer's name and address, and amount and date of payment, if paid by escrow.

"We need proof of payment so that we can return the refund to the correct owner," Pappas said, noting that false claims are made to obtain refund money.

Pappas said refund information is available also on her office's Web site, www.cookcountytreasurer.com