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HB 1497

PTELL-FREEZE

104th Regular Session Introduced by John Cabello and 13 co-sponsors

Illinois bill freezes property tax growth limits under PTELL, constraining local government revenue while providing tax relief to property owners.

Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dennis Tipsword
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1497

Legislative bill overview

HB 1497 proposes to freeze Illinois' Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), which currently caps annual increases in property tax extensions at 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. The bill would maintain current assessment values and tax rates without allowing the typical annual adjustments, effectively halting growth in property tax revenue for affected jurisdictions.

Why is this important

Property tax freezes directly impact local government funding for schools, municipalities, and public services. A PTELL freeze would constrain revenue growth for these services during a period of inflationary pressures, while potentially providing tax relief to property owners. The outcome depends heavily on whether the freeze is temporary or permanent, and how it interacts with Illinois' broader pension and education funding obligations.

Potential points of contention

  • Local service funding: Schools and municipalities dependent on property tax revenue may face budget shortfalls, potentially requiring service cuts or other revenue sources
  • Inequity concerns: A freeze maintains disparities between high-value and low-value properties, and between well-funded and under-funded districts
  • State budget implications: Reduced local property tax revenue may shift pressure to state government to backfill education and municipal services, increasing state spending obligations
  • Temporary vs. permanent effect: The bill's duration and any sunset provisions are unclear from the action history, affecting long-term planning for local governments

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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