Cook County Treasurer's Office - 12/6/2006
$70 Million More in Unpaid Taxes -- Nearly 35 Percent Higher than Last Year
More than 112,000 Cook County property owners did not pay $275.6 million in property taxes for bills mailed in 2006, an increase of $70 million or nearly 35 percent over the previous year.
Delinquency notices for tax year 2005 have been mailed to the owners who did not pay in 2006. In a calendar year, Cook County property taxes are collected in two installments for the previous "tax" year.
Cook County Treasurer Pappas said owners who pay before January 1, 2007, would avoid another monthly increase of 1.5 percent for an unpaid bill.
Late payments can be made:
- By mail (no cash) in the return envelope that comes with the bill.
- At any of nearly 300 Chase Bank facilities.
- On-line at www.cookcountytreasurer.com.
- By direct debit at more than 200 selected community banks.
Delinquencies from tax year 2005 that remain unpaid may be sold in the Annual Tax Sale held in 2007, which would add more penalties to redeem them, Pappas said.