Buckner on Bears "Deadline," PILOT Bill Unlikely to Move This Week
Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) speaks to reporters at the Statehouse last October. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
Recent reports have quoted Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia that the Chicago Bears have set a deadline of the end of March for the Illinois General Assembly to act on a property tax break bill for “megaprojects” to convince the team to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights instead of Indiana.
But the top House Democrat leading the effort to keep the Bears in the state says he’s not aware of any such deadline and doesn’t appear to be rushing to get the “Payment in Lieu of Taxes,” or PILOT, legislation on the board for a vote until he’s sure he has the votes to pass it.
Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) told The Illinoize Monday the Bears haven’t set a timetable with legislative leaders in the competition between Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana, where Hoosier lawmakers already passed a bill to raise taxes by $1 billion to help fund a stadium project.
“We have not heard the Bears say that, it has only come from him [Tinaglia],” Buckner said. “The Bears have the right to say whatever they want to say when it comes to timing, but they understand the legislative calendar. They also understand we’re working through this.”
The Bears did not respond to a message Monday.
Buckner admitted the bill isn’t ready for a vote yet as there was opposition inside the Democratic caucus last week.
“There were some cogent and logical, I think, pushback in caucus, but nothing that I think is insurmountable,” he said. “People had questions about inflation and the numbers and all that stuff. So we’re working through that and I’m trying to put together a package that will assuage some of those questions that came up in caucus.”
He says the process won’t be rushed to get the bill out of House when the Democratic caucus appears to be divided.
“There’s this artificial urgency being created around the Bears stadium, as if this process is somehow dragging,” he said. “Let’s be clear: the Bears closed on Arlington Heights three years and one month ago. In the world of stadium development, that’s the opening whistle, not the two minute warning.”
There continues to be a push among Democrats, Buckner confirmed, for the team to pick up at least some of the roughly half-a-billion in remaining debt from the 2002 renovation at Soldier Field. He says the outstanding debt and infrastructure improvements around the Arlington Heights site still need to be addressed.
“Those two things have not really been addressed in the last couple of weeks. They will be. They have to be for this entire package to move forward,” he said. I don’t know what the sweet spot is.”
It isn’t clear what role the Governor’s office is playing in ongoing negotiations or his position on repaying the 2002 bonds. His office did not respond to a message Monday.
UPDATE: Pritzker was asked about the Bears at a news conference Tuesday morning and, essentially, punted the issue to the General Assembly.
“I think we all feel like this needs to happen sooner rather than later,” Pritzker said. “It is in the hands of the legislature. We’ve done a lot of work in our administration to try to put something together that will work for both the state, the legislature and their concerns, and the team itself. It is a pretty good deal that’s been put on the table. It really now is in the hands of the House of Representatives and then the Senate to get it done in a timely fashion.”
Buckner says its unlikely the bill moves in the House this week, though it’s possible amendments could go through committee.
Republicans remain opposed, we’re told, claiming the General Assembly should focus on property tax relief for homeowners and not professional sports teams, a position Buckner says he agrees with and says GOP lawmakers are trying to have it “both ways,” blaming Democrats for losing the Bears and staking out a position opposed to keeping the team in the state.
But Buckner says he remains optimistic a deal will be reached and the Bears will build their new stadium in Arlington Heights.
“We’re going to get there, but not on arbitrary deadlines,” Buckner said. “I do believe we will get there soon. We’ll get there with sunlight, scrutiny, and a deal that actually works for the people we represent.”
The question remains: how long will the Bears wait?
