Illinois Lawmakers OK Chicago Senior Property Tax Relief

Cook County leaders clinched a rare win on property taxes in Springfield, as lawmakers approved a measure expanding tax relief for low-income seniors — a move that could shift costs elsewhere and add fuel to the county’s political battles ahead of next year’s elections.

The bill, passed in the closing hours of the fall legislative session, raised the income threshold for the state’s “senior freeze” program to $75,000 starting with 2027 tax bills, up from $65,000 in Cook County and $55,000 elsewhere, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The break, which freezes the taxable value of a home for qualifying seniors, was designed to shield those on fixed incomes from rising assessments and property taxes. Lawmakers also linked the same income limit to the state’s senior deferral loan program, which allows participants to borrow against future home sales to pay their bills.

The measure is a major win for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Assessor Fritz Kaegi, both of whom face primary challengers next March. Kaegi framed the change as protection against seniors “losing their homes because of unmanageable property tax increases.” But his bid to make the tax freeze automatic failed.

The legislation also gives County Clerk Monica Gordon authority to create payment plans for owners trying to redeem delinquent taxes sold at auction — a tool aimed at keeping low-income homeowners from losing their properties.

Opposition came from the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, which warned the expanded freeze would push more of the burden onto homeowners already hit hard by double-digit increases this year.

Median residential bills in some south suburbs jumped nearly 20 percent last year, with spikes surpassing that in towns such as Markham, Hazel Crest and Calumet Park. The association’s executive director, Kristi DeLaurentiis, argued that Cook County is underestimating how many will qualify under the new limits and that even small increases in property value will drive up tax bills.

County officials countered that the impact will be modest, citing University of Illinois at Chicago data suggesting any uptick in rates would be gradual and minimal. The bill also pushes the due date for the county’s spring installment bills from March 1 to April 1, giving taxpayers an extra month between payments.

That scheduling change caps a chaotic property tax season marked by delays, a budget hearing blowup, and public feuding among county officials.

Treasurer Maria Pappas, up for reelection alongside Kaegi and Preckwinkle, threatened to hold back first installment bills “no matter what anyone tells me” as tensions flared over delays tied to a long-troubled billing system overhaul by Tyler Technologies.

For now, only 11,000 parcels still show calculation errors, and officials say tax data should be ready for printing this week.

— Eric Weilbacher