* At an unrelated event today, Gov. JB Pritzker was asked a few questions about yesterday’s Bears press conference…
Reporter: You’ve said repeatedly the Bears haven’t told you what they want. But they tell me yes they have. It’s the original PILOT [payment in lieu of taxes] without some of the modifications that got put in the house bill. So, what about that? That’s what they’re telling me.
Pritzker: Well, that’s great, but remember, the legislature did not pass everything that they wanted, and so it’s up to those who want to get something from the state government to put the votes together on a bill that will pass. And so the question really is, what is it that they’re willing to compromise on to make sure that the state government, the legislature, the governor can support it? I’ve been very clear about what principle number one for me is, which is I’m not going to saddle the taxpayers with building a stadium for a $9 billion valued team and business. That’s great that they’re successful as a team. I hope they’ll be more successful this year on the field, anyway. We want them to continue to succeed, and we will support them with infrastructure and other things that we support other businesses with, as we do residents and others. But they’ve got to come forward and figure out what it is that will work with the legislature. They have had an occasional conversation with various legislators they think are useful to talk to that they’ve chosen. That’s great. They have talked to my office on occasion to check in with us to ask questions so that they can do the work that they need to do. But it is up to the Bears to make sure that they’re clear about how they’re going to get something working with the legislature. They’ve hired new lobbyists, and they’re working with those lobbyists, and I hope with members of the legislature to push something through.
* Have the Bears given up on Illinois?…
Reporter: A lot of people seem to have read their press conference yesterday as basically saying they’re all in for Indiana. What you’re saying is, because they’re not coming to you, do you think the Bears have given up on staying in Illinois?
Pritzker: If I were standing where they stood yesterday, I might say exactly what they said. Even though they have continued to have conversations with people in Illinois about what that future will look like. I do believe they would like to stay in the state of Illinois. I also believe that they have not come forward with the bill that they would like to ask the legislature to pass yet, and so we’re counting on them to make sure that that’s something they’re working on, that they’ll talk to the legislature about. I mean, it doesn’t make any sense for them to just keep saying the same thing that they said last spring if, in fact, that can’t pass the legislature.
Reporter: [Asked if he spoke with Bears CEO Kevin Warren or Chair George McCaskey after their press conference yesterday.]
Pritzker: No, I did not speak with either one of them after their press conference.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
* WVIK will have Rep. Kam Buckner on tonight…
- Keyrock - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 11:53 am:
Pritzker is correct, in my view. Taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidizing the McCaskeys, but we should do the same kind of infrastructure support we’d do for any business.
If Indiana wants to raise taxes and throw money away, that’s on them.
- Google is Your Friend - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:08 pm:
==That’s great that they’re successful as a team.==
There’s nothing the McCaskey family has done to contribute to that valuation number. If anything, their disastrous management prevents it from being higher. Here’s another stat for you: 106-143. That’s the Bears record under George McCaskey as chairperson, including the playoffs. It’s the worst of every team in their division in that time span. That’s right folks, even the Detroit Lions have a better record over the past decade and a half than the Bears.
- low level - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:12 pm:
Thank you, JB, for being the voice of reason as always. Truly one of the best governors Illinois has ever had. As for McCaskey - Warren, not only have they not learned anything but they seem to be going backwards in terms of how to interact with state government. Weird.
- Irreverent - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:16 pm:
Indiana will continue using the federal government to pick our pockets, so even in Hammond, we’ll still be paying welfare to billionaires, just less of it.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:26 pm:
Looking forward to a modern and world class stadium in the south suburbs… even if it happens to be across the state line and in Indiana. They are offering a great deal to the Bears, not accepting it at this point would be the foolish thing.
- Pistol Pete - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:36 pm:
Did you miss last season?
The Bears and their new coach Ben Johnson finish 11-6, win the wild card game against the Packers and then lose a close one to the Rams 20-17.
This year they are projected to win their division again, and only 7 teams are ahead of them in the betting markets to win the Super Bowl.
Things are looking up for the Bears.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:41 pm:
- Things are looking up for the Bears. -
Great, let them build a stadium by themselves.
- It's always Sunny in Illinois - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 12:52 pm:
On the next Heartland Politics State Rep @kambucknerchi talks about his role as lead negotiator for the state in keeping the Bears in Illinois.
As history has shown…..if Mr Buckner is indeed the Lead Negotiator for the State of Illinois…..Taxpayers should be on high alert and concerned about what he will be willing to commit for them. The Previous Buckner Bears bill was a straight up pork laden, taxpayer giveaway nighmare
- Huh? - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:01 pm:
- Things are looking up for the Bears. -
Hope springs eternal.
Season hasn’t started. Still time for rhe bears to choke.
- Pistol Pete - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:03 pm:
The proposed Bears stadium is 100% privately owned and financed.
If the deal is so bad why does Arlington Heights want it so desperately?
It’s their local government that is most affected by the amount of property tax collected. Over 50% goes to local schools.
That part is not a statewide issue
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:09 pm:
All spring I was so looking forward to May 31 and the end of the Bears whiney sage. Boy was i wrong
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:13 pm:
===If the deal is so bad why does Arlington Heights want it so desperately?===
If the deal is so good, then why can’t the Bears get the bill passed?
- toughspin - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:16 pm:
I understand why the governor keeps emphasizing that he doesn’t want taxpayers to subsidize a Bears stadium. But that’s not what the PILOT proposal is—and the governor previously supported the PILOT concept.
It would allow the Bears to negotiate payments with the local taxing bodies, which presumably would protect their own interests rather than allow themselves to be fleeced. If the Bears are preparing to leave Illinois, we should expect the rhetoric and spin to intensify. But at this point, the way this issue is being discussed feels increasingly disingenuous.
- Alton Sinkhole - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:17 pm:
==only 7 teams are ahead of them in the betting markets==
So… more than 20% of the league?
- Pistol Pete - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:18 pm:
Well the bills helping the Bears did pass both chambers-they just weren’t the same bills.
All so they could say we did something, but it was actually nothing.
How is that on the Bears and not the legislature?
- JS Mill - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:22 pm:
=Things are looking up for the Bears.=
So you predicate major business and financial decisions for the entire state of Illinois in the Bears record last season?
Wow, you should run for president.
For the record, I am a lifelong Bears and White Sox fan. I have attended many many games including the 1985 NFC Championship game and I don’t think the state should do anything beyond standard infrastructure and definietly not legislate property tax deals.
- Pistol Pete - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:26 pm:
How does this affect the finances for the entire state of Illinois?
It’s a mostly a local issue for the Arlington Heights area and Cook County to a lesser extent.
Are you against all property tax deals or is it just the Bears you have a grudge against?
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:30 pm:
Pistol Pete, I drove past Arlington Park regularly for years taking my kid to school. We want it taken care of because it’s an eyesore, it has great value but we shouldn’t have to pay.
- Leslie K - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:35 pm:
==How is that on the Bears and not the legislature?==
Because if the Bears want something, they should do the work to convince enough legislators + gov that it should be done?
- low level - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:41 pm:
== Are you against all property tax deals or is it just the Bears you have a grudge against?==
In all my years of reading CapFax, you rank right up there with some of the dumbest comments ever made. You must be one of those “Freedom Caucus” types.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:50 pm:
=== If the deal is so bad why does Arlington Heights want it so desperately ===
You do not have to look too far or too hard to find local elected officials making boneheaded business decisions.
Walmart subsidies
Factory hog farms
AI data centers
Sweetheart school district Supt contracts
Parking meter deal
The General Assembly does unheralded yeoman’s work trying to protect parttime elected officials from their own gullibility. When the locals screw up, and by the time the taxpayers realize it, the city council or school board members who were responsible are gone or on their way out the door.
Also, I have yet to see any polling that says the residents of Arlington Heights want the Bears Stadium that badly. Rosemont is in a sweet spot because they can offer nearby hotels and restaurants without having to pay for the stadium, and the casino in Des Plaines too.
But AH residents will have to deal with the traffic, noise, and crime that invariably come with an entertainment district, and they are not exactly looking for careers as beer vendors for their kids.
Again, if voters in Arlington Heights wanted this that badly, Pritzker’s phone would be ringing off the hook. Does not sound like it is.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 1:56 pm:
===and the governor previously supported the PILOT concept.===
And still does.
- Pistol Pete - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:01 pm:
When did he join the Freedom Caucus?
- Shell - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:25 pm:
== If the deal is so good, then why can’t the Bears get the bill passed? ==
Good to whom?
- JS Mill - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:26 pm:
=It’s a mostly a local issue for the Arlington Heights area and Cook County to a lesser extent.=
So tell me you don’t understand how legislation works without telling me.
=Are you against all property tax deals or is it just the Bears you have a grudge against?=
So you didn’t read my post.
I am against ALL property tax breaks. Pay your bills like everyone else.
And, also, what @Low Level said.
- Pistol Pete - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 2:59 pm:
You do realize the Governor supports and both chambers passed legislation to help large developments with property taxes.
I understand where property taxes go- to the local community, mostly for schools.
They passed these bills because at least 28 states have PILOT programs and all states have tax incentives for businesses large and small.
The Bears just want the same deal everybody else gets, your world of no tax incentives doesn’t exist anywhere.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:00 pm:
- How is that on the Bears and not the legislature? -
The legislature isn’t trying to build a new stadium. Hope that helps.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:06 pm:
===The Bears just want the same deal everybody else gets===
Then they don’t need a new bill.
- Should have given the ball to Payton on the goal line - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:15 pm:
If the Bears want to build in Arlington Heights, they don’t need the state’s permission. File the plans, put up your family fortune and start building. If Arlington Heights wants the project so much, raises taxes locally to pay for the infrastructure. They don’t really need the state. The want the state to make it cheaper for them.
- TNR - Friday, Aug 14, 26 @ 3:34 pm:
@Pistol Pete
The McCaskeys could have asked Arlington Heights for financial support in the form of a TIF and a new sales tax on food, beverage and ticket sales in and around the stadium (Arlington Hts has home rule authority.) They also could have secured millions in property tax relief directly from Cook County, like the Wirtz and Reinsdorf families’ new mega development around the United Center. The San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Braves followed this “local support” strategy when they left the city for the suburbs. They didn’t go to the state legislature.
The McCaskeys also could have done what lots of businesses do when they need to raise cash: sell ownership shares.
Instead, the Bears decided to go to Springfield and ask for help. It hasn’t worked out well. That’s on them.