Taxpayers Can Pay Online at cookcountytreasurer.com

Almost 85,000 property owners who owe nearly $220.8 million in unpaid property taxes for bills mailed last year can pay online, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

Delinquency notices have been mailed to owners of Cook County property who have not paid property taxes for tax year 2006, on bills mailed in 2007, Pappas said.

Property owners can visit cookcountytreasurer.com to determine whether they owe taxes, and can make payment online, Pappas said.

In a calendar year, property taxes are collected for the previous "tax" year. Pappas' office collects some $10 billion annually in two installments and distributes the revenue to 2,000 local units of government across Cook County.

Pappas urged owners who receive the delinquency notices to pay quickly to avoid further late penalties of 1.5 percent per month. Besides online, late payments can be made:

• At some 300 Chase Bank facilities.
• By direct debit at some 200 participating community banks.

Delinquencies from tax year 2006 that remain unpaid may be offered for sale in the Annual Tax Sale held later this year, Pappas said.