Cook County Treasurer's Office - 12/3/2001

Illinois military personnel being called to active duty overseas will be exempt from penalty payments on unpaid property taxes, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

Pappas made the announcement as her office mailed 168,000 tax-delinquency letters to taxpayers who still owe property taxes. State law provides that qualifying military personnel would not be deemed delinquent during their time of service even if they received a letter.

Members of the Illinois National Guard and U.S. Armed Services Reserves called up because of the war in Afghanistan or other overseas duty could receive the exemption. They would not be delinquent nor be charged penalties on unpaid tax installments due when they are on such military duty, Pappas said.

Pappas said all Cook County property owners -- including military personnel -- who owed back taxes would receive the delinquency letters. The interest penalty on unpaid property taxes is 1.5 percent per month.

Military personnel qualifying for exemption from the interest penalties would provide proof of ownership of the property, such as the deed; proof of active-duty status, and an affidavit showing completion of active military duty. The exemption would last until 30 days after the serviceman or servicewoman returns to civilian status.

"Men and women who put their lives on the line in military service for their country should not have to worry about interest on property taxes," Pappas said.

The 168,000 letters were sent to property owners who had not paid all taxes for the first and second installments of tax year 2000, which had been due March 1 and November 1, 2001. Pappas advised them to pay delinquent taxes immediately to avoid further financial penalties or even the loss of property.

Pappas warned that state law requires that unpaid taxes be offered at the Annual Tax Sale. If not redeemed, (paid back with interest and penalties), unpaid taxes can lead to loss of the property. The next Annual Tax Sale is to begin in late March and continue for three to four weeks.

The Treasurer's Office will mail another late notice about January 1, then mail certified letters to remaining delinquent property owners in February. Thus, at least three delinquency notices will have been sent before bills for the next tax installment are due on March 1, 2002.

Cook County property taxes are collected in two installments yearly. Pappas' policy of sending out several delinquency notices has brought more payments and contributed to a drop in delinquent taxes on the Annual Tax Sale list from 120,000, for the sale conducted in 2000, to 51,000, for the sale conducted in March of this year (2001).

"People do not want to owe taxes and do respond when reminded about them," Pappas said.

Delinquent payments can be mailed or taken to the Treasurer's offices in downtown Chicago, north suburban Rolling Meadows and south suburban Markham, or made at any LaSalle Bank through January 15, 2002.

To check via the Internet which payments are owed for tax year 2000, taxpayers can log onto Pappas' web site at www.cookcountytreasurer.com, click on “Payment Status” and enter their Property Index Numbers.