Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas announced Monday that property owners will be able to pay their first-installment 2001 property tax bills via the Internet.

County tax bills and brochures include information on the new Internet service at www.cookcountytreasurer.com. The 1.6 million bills and brochures for 2001 first installment property taxes began reaching homes and businesses over the weekend and today.

"Using our web site to pay over the Internet means that the taxpayer can pay from home or work," Pappas said.

Pappas described the new system:

• The web site at www.cookcountytreasurer.com will be the only service authorized by Cook County for Internet payments of property taxes. The system, through Amalgamated Bank, allows taxpayers to use their checking or savings accounts from any bank.
• Through the due date of March 1, 2002, taxpayers will be able to click on the "Online Payment" icon at www.cookcountytreasurer.com and follow the instructions to submit a payment directly to the new Cook County Property Tax Collection service at Amalgamated Bank.
• There is a $1.00 convenience fee to use this service. This fee is collected and retained by the bank that provides the Pay Online service.
• Online payment of taxes can be made only via this web site. Payments made through other on-line services will not be accepted.
• www.cookcountytreasurer.com is programmed to help taxpayers avoid over-payment of taxes on-line, paying on the wrong property index number (PIN), or having payments wrongly credited after the due date which would result in late payment penalties.
• Payments for delinquent 2000 or earlier years' taxes cannot be made online. They are payable only by mail or at the Cook County Treasurer's Chicago Office at 118 North Clark Street, Room 112.

"Taxpayers still can mail their payments, or walk or drive to a LaSalle Bank, an option used by more than half a million taxpayers in the last two years," Pappas said. "But we are excited that the new service at www.cookcountytreasurer.com will give taxpayers another way to make payments around the clock from their homes, offices or libraries - all the way through the March 1, 2002 deadline."

Pappas said her Office's Internet payment system was designed to give users a confirmation number and to ensure that their payments are being processed accurately.

The web payment function follows the addition of other services on Pappas' web site including:

• A "payment status" that allows taxpayers to see their current balance.
• A refund search engine that lets taxpayers determine if they were among the 26,000 individuals and businesses who overpaid and double-paid more $41 million in 2000 taxes collected in 2001.
• Taxpayers may download refund applications and other useful forms at the site.

In Cook County, the first-installment 2001 tax bills are due March 1, 2002 and are equal to one-half of the prior year's tax.

Taxpayers who do not receive first-installment bills by Fri., Feb. 1, 2002 should call (312) 443-5100 or e-mail the Office at info@cookcountytreasurer.com, which is recommended during periods of heavy phone traffic.