Illinois House OKs Bears Stadium Tax Breaks
- Illinois House approved legislation to give the Chicago Bears tax breaks for a new Arlington Heights stadium. - The measure passed Wednesday night by a 78-32 vote in the House. - If the Senate agrees, the deal could unlock major public subsidies and local debate over spending (patch.com).
The Illinois House voted 78-32 late Wednesday to advance a bill designed to cut the Chicago Bears’ tax burden if the team builds a new stadium in Arlington Heights. (cbsnews.com) The measure, House Bill 910, moved out of the House Revenue and Finance Committee on a 15-5 vote earlier the same day and now goes to the Illinois Senate. Lawmakers tied it to the Bears’ proposed domed stadium on the 325-acre former Arlington International Racecourse site the team already owns. (nbcchicago.com) The core change is a long-term property tax deal. The bill would let qualifying “megaprojects” negotiate payments in lieu of regular property taxes and lock in that structure for as long as 40 years. (wgntv.com) Lawmakers rewrote the proposal this week after earlier versions ran into resistance from suburban school districts, local governments and some legislators worried that a stadium tax break would shift costs onto homeowners. The new amendment also adds a statewide property tax relief component to win broader support. (nprillinois.org) Under the revised plan, half of the special payment from a megaproject would be set aside for property tax relief, with 60% of that money directed to homeowner rebates in the local taxing districts and 40% sent to a statewide relief fund. The bill also applies beyond the Bears to other large developments that meet the state’s threshold. (capitolfax.com) Illinois lawmakers are moving now because the Bears have spent months weighing Arlington Heights against a new site in Hammond, Indiana. Indiana lawmakers have discussed more than $1 billion in public subsidies to lure the team across the state line. (chicago.suntimes.com) The Bears said after the House vote that they “welcome” the bill’s progress but still want further changes before committing to Arlington Heights. Gov. JB Pritzker’s office also signaled the proposal still needs review as it moves through the Senate. (capitolnewsillinois.com) Even if the Senate approves the tax package, the stadium deal is not finished. Lawmakers and local officials still have to sort out who would pay for roads, transit and other infrastructure around any new Arlington Heights development before the General Assembly’s spring session ends next month. (chicago.suntimes.com)
