* Gov. JB Pritzker did a little trolling of the notoriously Illinois-hating Indiana trolls today. When asked about the Bears at an unrelated press conference, this is some of what he said…
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. 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.
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. 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, we can do everything we can to keep them in the state
More on the “absolute cornucopia of new taxes” proposed in Indiana is here.
As a commenter wrote yesterday: “Lighting tax money on fire to own the libs.” Yep.
* Pritzker also sounded very positive today about his mega projects bill, which could be heard in committee Thursday morning. The Bears want to use that legislation to help build their new complex….
Lots of conversation and agreement on everything, really, as far as I can tell with regard to a bill that provides this kind of, what they call tax certainty. But it’s, it’s a PILOT bill, as you pointed out. So it looks like, you know, they proposed a few changes over the last couple of weeks. There’s been really broad agreement about those.
And the the leaders of Arlington Heights and the surrounding communities all seem to be on board as well. So again, this is really, it’s in the legislature. The legislators themselves have to make decisions about this. But I think we were at a, you know, in a good place with regard to that bill.
- Hmmm. - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 12:19 pm:
Why wouldn’t the Colts and Pacers have their hands out for tax money too? if the Bears get a sweet deal.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 12:26 pm:
===have their hands out for tax money too?===
They already got their deals.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
=As a commenter wrote yesterday: “Lighting tax money on fire to own the libs.” Yep.=
Likely becoming the ultimate red state self-own of all time.
- wildcat12 - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 12:34 pm:
Silly little transcription error:
=do everything I can without Harmon the taxpayers of the state of Illinois in the process=
- ChicagoBars - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 12:42 pm:
After the last four years (including when the Bears bought Arlington Park and were then shocked, affronted, and appalled the assessor set the parcel’s valuation at what they had actually paid) I fully expect even if PILOT Megaprojects bill passes we will get to enjoy months if not years of Bears wrangling over that annual PILOT payment amount.
- Steve - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 1:04 pm:
I don’t think JB has to say much of anything. All politicians in Illinois who say no rent-seeking off of Illinois taxpayers are doing their job. If the Bears want to leave: let them. JB and the Illinois elected officials who are looking out for the taxpayers here should be commended. Only 20% of Soldiers Field revenue comes from the Bears.
- Sue - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 1:08 pm:
How much will the Bears “negotiate” their property taxes to be? Different versions of the bill have different provisions regarding whether any individual taxing body has veto power or whether the village can just make the decision unilaterally. From the materials the village was promoting, it sounds as if their baseline is “no higher than SoFi stadium,” never mind that it’s apples to oranges.
As a bonus, they’ll scam the TIF district part too, promoting the housing they’ll build as designated for seniors, who will move out of their single family homes, young families will move in their, overall school enrollment will increase, but the portion directly attributed to the development will be nil, so they won’t pay, it’ll just be a burden on the rest of the taxpayers.
- ThePAMan - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 1:08 pm:
And yet it appears that we, Illinois taxpayers, will be “assisting” the Bear in their move from one Cook County location to another. PACO: Pritzker Always Chickens Out?
- Sue - Tuesday, Feb 24, 26 @ 1:21 pm:
Don’t care where the Bears end up but it is kind of laughable that JB calls out Indiana for raising taxes as that is JB’s specialty- anyone buy a tank of gas lately across the State Line in either Indiana or up in WI?