Pritzker Trolls Indiana Over Bears Stadium Tax Hike | Illinois News
Pritzker Presses Bears to Clarify Stadium Plans as Indiana Incentives Advance
– Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is publicly urging the Chicago Bears to clearly state their intentions regarding a potential move to Indiana, as lawmakers in that state move forward with a significant financial incentive package to lure the team across state lines. Pritzker’s comments come amid growing uncertainty about the future of the Bears’ stadium situation and a perceived shift in the team’s focus toward Hammond, Indiana.
Speaking at an unrelated press conference, Pritzker directly addressed Indiana voters, questioning their willingness to shoulder the cost of a new stadium for the Chicago Bears. “I think I’m very interested to see how the people of Indiana, the voters of Indiana, feel about the massive increases in taxes that are being proposed about paying for a stadium in Indiana for the Chicago Bears,” he said. “Do they want to raise their taxes to pay for a stadium in the state of Indiana for the Chicago Bears? We’ll see. So that’s a question for people who live in Indiana.”
Despite the pointed remarks, Pritzker reiterated his commitment to keeping the Bears in Illinois, emphasizing ongoing “really positive discussions” with the team. “Here in Illinois, we continue to have really positive discussions with the Chicago Bears, and I think you’re going to see progress over time here,” he stated. “But importantly, you know, we want – I’m a Chicago Bears fan. Believe very much that they ought to be based in Illinois, and I’m going to do everything I can without harming the taxpayers of the state of Illinois in the process of making sure that, you know, You can do everything we can to keep them in the state.”
The governor’s comments follow a recent statement from the Bears praising the Indiana legislature’s progress on a bill designed to attract the team. This prompted a “very disappointed” response from Pritzker, according to NBC Chicago. The Indiana bill would establish a state sports authority to fund a new domed stadium near Wolf Lake in Hammond.
Pritzker revealed that the Illinois General Assembly’s Revenue & Finance Committee had been prepared to hold a hearing on a deal to keep the Bears in Arlington Heights, but the team requested the meeting be canceled shortly before making their statement about Indiana. “We have made a lot of advancement in that conversation with them. I’m surprised, dismayed, very disappointed in what I saw in a statement,” Pritzker said.
A three-hour meeting between Pritzker’s team and the Bears on Wednesday reportedly yielded significant progress toward a potential agreement for a stadium in Arlington Heights. However, the Bears then asked to postpone a scheduled hearing on related legislation to refine the proposal. The team has committed $2 billion towards construction but is seeking $855 million in public funds for supporting infrastructure, including roads and utilities, as well as legislation allowing for property tax negotiations.
Pritzker also highlighted the advancement of his “mega projects bill,” which the Bears are hoping to utilize to help finance their new complex. He described the discussions surrounding the bill as having “lots of conversation and agreement on everything, really, as far as I can tell,” noting that it’s a “PILOT bill” – a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreement – and that proposed changes have been largely accepted. Leaders in Arlington Heights and surrounding communities are reportedly on board with the legislation.
“What we have is really, it’s in the legislature. The legislators themselves have to make decisions about this,” Pritzker said. “But I think we were at, you know, in a good place with regard to that bill.”
The situation is further complicated by concerns in Indiana about the financial implications of the proposed stadium deal. A commenter on CapitolFax.com reportedly described the proposed tax increases as “Lighting tax money on fire to own the libs.”
As the Bears weigh their options, Governor Pritzker is calling on the team to be transparent about their demands and intentions. “The Bears really do need to step up and be public about what it is that they really want,” Pritzker said Friday. “I think the Bears need to make their intentions known. Those intentions could be that they want to continue to talk to both states, but I think they need to clarify that.”