Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson hit the corridors of power in Springfield on Wednesday, advocating for a suite of financial initiatives he hopes to see realized. His agenda includes a significant effort to ensure the Chicago Bears remain loyal to their hometown.
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This push coincides with legislative discussions regarding a proposal that could pave the way for the Bears to relocate to Arlington Heights.
Mayor Johnson has teamed up with fellow city leaders to present a unified front in urging state legislators to maintain the current allocation of state income tax revenues to local municipalities, rather than reducing it.
Amidst these efforts, Johnson faces the formidable task of keeping the Bears anchored at Soldier Field, countering the potential move that could see the team leave its iconic home.
But he’s also fighting an uphill battle to prevent the Bears from moving out of Soldier Field.
Johnson hosted a breakfast reception for members of the Chicago delegation. He aimed to win support for a host of progressive revenue ideas that include a digital ad tax.
“This is the best time for investments in Chicago. This is not the time in which, you know, we provide tax benefit to the ultra-rich and big corporations, when affordability is the top issue that people are paying attention to,” Johnson said.
He was joined by several progressive City Council members to help make his case as the legislature heads into the final weeks of this session.
“I think there’s plenty of time. I mean, the revenue part is going to be part of the budget package. And we are, you know, we’re well into the process, but there is plenty of room to move on this. So, I think his visit is well-timed,” state Sen. Robert Martwick said.
As for the Bears, the push continues even though the team has made it clear they are only considering Arlington Heights or Hammond, Indiana.
“As a Chicago legislator, I want to see the Bears stay in Chicago, but we can’t force the Bears to play where they don’t want to play. And given the option between Arlington Heights and Hammond … I would prefer the Bears play in Arlington Heights,” state Sen. Bill Cunningham said. “So one of the things we might look at is trying to see if that property tax relief could be better targeted at a smaller geographic area or more targeted towards people who most need property tax relief. Those are the things that we’re examining right now in the Senate.”
SEE ALSO | Gov. Pritzker says he wants Bears stadium deal done ‘as fast as possible’ as team meets with NFL
The Senate is working on changes to a “mega projects bill” that would provide tax breaks for the Bears and clear the way for them to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights.
The team would make a payment to local taxing bodies in lieu of the property tax.
It included some broader property tax relief for homeowners, but a hypothetical analysis by the governor’s office said it would have a negligible impact.
“So, we need to be having conversations about how that bill can be improved to make sure that that happens. And if not, then maybe it’s not the right time to get it,” state Sen. Karina Villa said.
SEE ALSO | ‘Megaprojects’ bill passes Illinois House, Bears say changes needed for Arlington Heights stadium
Mayor Johnson also met with House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch and is not giving up hope of keeping the Bears in Chicago.
“The reason why the Bears did not proceed with the plans in Chicago is because we didn’t get any cooperation from the state of Illinois. Now, the state of Illinois is saying that they’re willing to cooperate. So, let’s take that level of cooperation that’s being applied to the suburbs that was not applied to the city of Chicago,” Johnson said.
Illinois lawmakers’ spring session ends on May 31.
The Bears have said they plan to share an update on their new stadium plans by late spring or early summer.
Another priority on the mayor’s agenda, one that brought together more than a dozen other mayors, is restoring local government distributive funds, known as LGDF. That money is the portion of state income taxes that is shared with local municipalities, that they say is being cut this year.
“While we acknowledge the steps that leaders in Springfield have taken to navigate the fiscal challenges that Illinois is facing, we cannot balance the state fund or state budget on the backs of local governments at a time when federal support is dwindling,” Johnson said.
The governor’s office says municipalities will not lose any dollars in his budget plan.
Other mayors and lawmakers say the underlying problem goes back to 2011, when the state started reducing LGDF funds from 10 percent; now it’s down to just over 6 percent.
“Local governments have lost $15 billion in total LGDF funds that should have gone to local governments,” Palos Hills Mayor Jerry Bennett said.
Mayor Johnson will remain in Chicago for one more night, with more meetings with lawmakers scheduled Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
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