Illinois Rep. Kam Buckner not ready to support tax break for Bears' Arlington Heights stadium

CBS News

a day ago

The Chicago Bears now laser-focused on making suburban Arlington Heights their new home and are pushing for a State of Illinois-approved property tax break.
CBS News Chicago spoke with one lawmaker who is not ready to support it.
Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) penned an opinion piece that ran in the Chicago Tribune Tuesday morning explaining why he says the Bears should be paying more into the system, not less.
"They have a track record of leaving the people holding the bag. When they, if they leave Chicago, the people of Chicago still owe money on the Soldier Field renovation that they demanded," Buckner said. "So for them to pick up stakes and leave Chicago, and then try to get a similar or even more lucrative sweetheart deal in a neighboring suburb, to me is bad form."
Buckner said he doesn't think Illinois should bankroll the Bears' departure from Chicago without a serious conversation.
He said moving to Arlington Heights will raise property values and increase demand on schools, local roads, utilities and first responders.
In Buckner's words, an $8.8 billion company moving into town would normally be expected to contribute to all of that.
Buckner's thoughts came after Bears leadership announced on Friday that they are going full steam ahead on the plan to relocate the team to Arlington Heights. Bears brass even suggested the team might break ground there this year — but only with the passage of a bill granting long-term property-tax certainty.
"It is much more that the Bears benefiting from this bill," said Bears president and chief executive officer Kevin Warren.
Warren estimated the Arlington Heights stadium could generate 56,000 construction jobs and 9,100 permanent jobs.
CBS News Chicago asked Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday for his thoughts on the proposed tax break.
His response was that a financial investment would better serve the area on Chicago's lakefront.
"I try not to get into the responsibility and duty of, you know, state reps and state senators," said Mayor Johnson. "All I'm simply saying is that the proposal in Chicago, there's a lot of benefit to that proposal."
Buckner spoke to CBS News Chicago from Springfield on Tuesday. That is where he believes the Bears' ownership should meet with lawmakers to make their case in person.
Buckner pointed out that just last year, Jerry Reinsdorf came to Springfield in person to talk about the future home for the White Sox.