CHICAGO (WLS) — As the clock ticks down, state lawmakers are racing against time to finalize a budget and several significant pieces of legislation, including a critical bill that could determine the fate of the Chicago Bears’ presence in Illinois.
With the legislative session set to conclude on Sunday night, there were promising signs of advancement on Saturday. A potential budget package might see a Senate vote late Saturday before moving to the House. Both parties, Democrats and Republicans, acknowledge significant strides have been made. However, the ambitious “mega-projects” bill, designed to keep the Bears in Illinois, still faces substantial challenges with the deadline looming.
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The Illinois Senate reconvened on Saturday afternoon, while the House prepared to assemble shortly after. Their focus remains on pushing through a series of bills, with the budget taking center stage.
“We have the broad contours of an agreement. We’re still negotiating some final pieces, but our staff is hard at work drafting the language to put together and release to the public, so that we can all get this budget reviewed and passed,” stated budgeteer and Illinois state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago.
“We have the broad contours of an agreement. We’re still negotiating some final pieces, but our staff is hold away drafting the language to put together and release to the public, so that we can all get this budget reviewed and passed,” said budgeteer and Illinois state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago.
On Saturday afternoon, groups, including the Chicago Teachers Union, rallied in the rotunda, pushing for progressive revenue. Democratic lawmakers say a digital tax on social media companies is gaining broad support as Illinois seeks to make up for lost federal funding.
“I really firmly believe that we have to ask the wealthiest people and the most profitable corporations to pay their fair share to the state to help fund that, and I think our budget will reflect those values,” Guzzardi said.
Also high on the final hours-agenda is legislation that would allow the Bears to stay in Illinois through a “mega-projects” bill that would allow the team to negotiate special payments in lieu of property taxes on a new stadium that the team wants to build in Arlington Heights. The terms of that bill are being worked on in the Senate.
“So, they’re doing that right now with our proposal. They’re having other conversations about what another proposal may look like. So, I don’t know exactly what we’re going to get back from them, but they’re able to come to a consensus on something. We’ll be ready to take up that measure here on this side,” said lead Bears negotiator and Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has held several meetings with Democratic leaders, discussing priorities for the waning hours of this session on Saturday. He has repeatedly said he wants to keep the Bears in Illinois, and the team has made it clear the only location under consideration is Arlington Heights. But some Republicans wonder if the governor should be more involved in making a deal happen for the Bears.
“I’m not so sure the governor’s team is putting their full weight and power of the governor’s office behind. Having been here six years, when the governor office wants something, there’s a whole different tone. There’s a whole different approach,” said Illinois state Sen. Seth Lewis, R-DuPage and Cook counties.
ABC7 is expecting a late Saturday night. The state Senate is expected to be in session until midnight or later if needed. The state House, which was slated to start within the 5 p.m. hour, has not set an ending time.
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