House speaker unsure if there’s enough support for Bears stadium tax break

During an appearance in Arlington Heights Tuesday night, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said he’s unsure whether property tax break legislation that would allow the Bears to leave Chicago for the Northwest suburb has a chance of passing.

“Certainly everyone’s making their case. The Bears are having meetings with legislators. The mayors in this region are having conversations with folks and making the case for it. And everyone’s doing the job they’re supposed to be doing,” Welch said during a town hall forum at the Arlington Lakes Golf Club. “And what I have to do is talk to the members about it and see where they are. If there’s support for it, it goes forward. If there’s no support for it, it doesn’t.”

The Democratic House speaker from Westchester addressed the Bears stadium saga, among myriad topics, during the event co-hosted by Arlington Heights Democratic state representatives Mary Beth Canty and Nicolle Grasse.

Canty, who represents the north side of town including the Bears’ 326-acre Arlington Park property, and Grasse, who represents the south side of town, are cosponsors of so-called megaproject legislation backed by the Bears and construction and labor groups. While the bill doesn’t mention the NFL franchise by name, it would allow big developers statewide the ability to negotiate with local taxing authorities over the amount of property taxes that should be paid for up to 40 years.

Welch acknowledged there’s a lot of support for the concept of megaproject developments across the state.

At the same time, legislators have been resistant to the Bears’ requests for a property tax break or state subsidies.

“This isn’t a new conversation. It’s gone on for a couple of years now. And in the past, there has not been support for helping the Bears, so to speak,” Welch said.

Lawmakers return to Springfield for the fall veto session Oct. 14, where a three-fifths majority is required for approval of any legislation. They’re certain to address the transit fiscal crisis and energy policy, but may not be able to tackle the Bears-backed bill during the six-day session.

Welch won’t call the bill to the floor for a vote unless it has a chance of passing the 118-member chamber, of which Democrats hold a 78-vote supermajority. Key to any Bears legislation crossing the goal line will be some support from the 26 legislators from Chicago.

Gov. JB Pritzker, who has said he prefers the Bears remain within city limits, has expressed support for the megaproject concept, but earlier this month declared it a “prerequisite” for the Bears to first pay off the $534 million owed for the 2003 Soldier Field renovations.

On Tuesday night, Welch told the Daily Herald he and House Democrats are “open to listening” to such proposals.

“If the megaprojects bill is going to pass, you still need to convince 26 Chicago legislators that it’s good for Chicago as well,” Welch said. “And so is that something that can convince Chicago legislators that it’s a good thing? I don’t know. I think that there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.”

Welch’s public appearance followed a private meeting earlier in the day with Canty, Grasse, Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia, Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica, Mount Prospect Mayor Paul Hoefert and Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen.

Among the 50 or so attendees of the town hall Tuesday night were Tinaglia and Arlington Heights Village Manager Randy Recklaus. Arlington Heights Trustee Bill Manganaro served as town hall moderator.