Compromise proposal on the table to keep Bears in Illinois as lawmakers race against time
Lawmakers also have to pass a balanced budget by 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Lawmakers are going down to the wire in Springfield to get a budget done.
But as they continue to work out the details over the next seven hours, there is a compromise proposal on the table to keep the Bears in Illinois. And it opens the door for Chicago to be back in play.
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Lawmakers have to pass a balanced budget by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, and while that may not seem like a lot of time to get things done, one lawmaker says time in Springfield is like dog years, so there is still plenty of time.
As for a Bears deal, there is a new twist hoping to prevent a fourth-quarter collapse.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch walked out of the Democratic Caucus meeting, where his supermajority was still working on a host of budget issues. But while those are expected to get worked out, it is a deal to keep the Bears in Illinois that has generated new intrigue.
The proposal would allow municipalities, like Arlington Heights or Chicago, to create their own sports stadium authority. The Bears would still pay to build the stadium, but it would be publicly owned. Because of that, the team would not pay property taxes on a new stadium, solving their desire for tax certainty.
"I think if people can see that a plan like this is narrowly tailored, but also, as Senator Cunningham said, gives the ability for the city of Chicago to have a part to play in this as well, then there could be some support, right?" said lead Bears negotiator and Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
The bill could perhaps put Chicago back in play to keep the Bears. Although, the team said prior to this idea that it was only considering Arlington Heights or a site in Hammond, Indiana, where state lawmakers have offered a similar deal.
The stadium idea drew mixed reaction from Chicago lawmakers, whose support will be needed to pass it. Some have been concerned about finding a way to help the average taxpayer while helping the Bears.
"This seems to solve for that issue, in that individuals don't have to feel as though, again, an entity is getting a tax break, and they are not," said Illinois state Rep. Curtis Tarver II, D-Chicago.
"At the end of the day, a billion-dollar corporation can build their own stadium, pay their taxes, and leave us out of it, and that's where I am on this," said Illinois state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago.
On the budget itself, lawmakers are expecting an additional $150 million in revenue from the sales tax on gasoline, which has spiked due to the war with Iran.
"We're going to utilize some of that excess funding that we didn't anticipate to help make sure the budget is balanced, make it fiscally responsible," said Assistant House Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, D-Metro East.
"What we should be doing is halting the sales tax on gasoline and the gas tax. We tax the tax in this state and give the give the residents of Illinois a break from paying that extra tax," said Illinois state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Kane and DuPage counties.
