Cook County homeowners phoning for property-tax information now can hear whether they have a refund, thanks to a new automated telephone system, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas announced today.

The Treasurer's phones, operating 24 hours a day and seven days a week in English, Spanish and Polish, give homeowners information about refunds, bills, payments and other services, Pappas said.

Pappas noted that taxpayers have left unclaimed about $109 million in refunds over the past five years. Callers to the Treasurer's Office at (312) 443-5100 can learn whether there is a refund on their property by touching "2" on the phone pad.

The caller will hear a greeting, choose among English, Spanish and Polish, and be advised: "So that we may help you, please have your 14-digit Property Index Number available. It is located at the top of your tax bill or on your deed."

After the caller enters the PIN, prompts include:

• Press 1 for current-year payment status.
• Press 2 for refund information.
• Press 3 for exemption information.
• Press 4 for transfer to the County Clerk's Office for prior-year delinquencies or sold taxes.
• Press 5 for due dates, address changes, delinquency notices, special services or the Tax Sale.
• Press 6 to have forms faxed or mailed.
• Press 7 for payment locations.

"Our automated phone system makes it easier for a homeowner to learn whether he or she is owed money," Pappas said, noting that the same information can be obtained on her office's website at www.cookcountytreasurer.com. "A refund belongs with the taxpayer, not with government."

The new system was activated to accommodate taxpayers during collection of second-installment bills for tax year 2002. The due date of the bills is October 1, 2003.

The phone system also gives a caller the amount of the second-installment bill and the date and amount of the last payment, and can fax refund and other forms to the caller's fax machine.

Before the new system began operating, Pappas' office received up to 2,000 calls a day during business hours. "That number should increase dramatically with phones that operate 24-7," Pappas said.

"Greater phone capacity means a caller is more likely to get a response instead of a busy signal," Pappas said.

Pappas noted that because the phone system responds also in Spanish and Polish, more homeowners will find it convenient to use. The system's ability to fax forms means homeowners need not wait for mail delivery but can receive, fill out and return the forms that day, Pappas said.

Property owners can pay second-installment bills in person at any LaSalle Bank or the Treasurer's Office, or electronically until midnight October 1 at www.cookcountytreasurer.com. Checks paid in person or by mail must be for one PIN only, and include the PIN on the check face along with the payer's name, address, phone number and any e-mail address.

Pappas' office collects $8.2 billion yearly in two installments on 1.6 million parcels of property, then distributes the funds to 1,600 local taxing agencies across Cook County.

Pappas thanked the Cook County Board of Commissioners for a new phone system "which will provide a new level of convenience and openness to the people we serve." Pappas' office is the first county office with the new phone system, and other county offices are to have it.