Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Chicago Tribune

COOK COUNTY -- Cook County residents won't be able to pay their property taxes with a credit card this fall after all.

The state's attorney's office Monday issued a letter to Treasurer Maria Pappas saying credit-card fees to be paid to the operator of the program would exceed, in many cases, the maximum allowed under state law, which is $40 per tax bill.

Earlier this month, the County Board approved a pilot program for the fall in which the fees were set at 2.2 percent of a tax bill, which in many instances would exceed the limit.

The program was not competitively bid because, in an effort to get it up and running for the fall collection, it was added as an amendment to a new project for bail payments at the County Jail.

Pappas said her office would comply with the state's attorney's opinion. She said she would put the program out for bid, which means it won't be ready for the fall tax collection.