You've got until tomorrow night to pay that higher Cook Co. tax bill

Cook County property owners have Casimir Pulaski to thank for winning them a 24-hour extension on their first-installment payments of the year's property taxes.

But 55 percent of last year's total tax is due to the Cook County treasurer's office by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 2.

The state holiday of Casimir Pulaski Day closed the treasurer's office Monday; otherwise the first installment of the year's taxes would have been due March 1, Schaumburg Township Chief Deputy Assessor Rey Garcia said Monday.

Her own office was still open Monday, busy with customers seeking assistance in appealing their assessments.

Garcia said Tuesday is the deadline for the treasurer's office to receive first-installment payments to avoid late penalties of 1.5 percent per month.

The quickest and easiest method to make last-minute payments is electronically at cookcountytreasurer.com, where they will be accepted without penalty until 11:59 Tuesday.

For those without online access, payments may be made at more than 380 Chase Bank locations or from accounts at another 220 participating community banks before the close of business Tuesday.

A new state law has raised the amount of the first-installment payment from 50 percent to 55 percent of the previous year's total payment.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas opposed the change, citing the proximity to the second-installment payments of the previous year, which were due Dec. 1.

But legislators who supported the change said it's a way to balance out some of the financial burden of the second installment, which always includes the increase from the previous year's total.