Lawmakers work to sweeten pot to keep Bears in Illinois

Illinois hopes to take the lead over Indiana in the Chicago Bears stadium battle with a new proposal that would give the NFL team property tax certainty while also providing a statewide property tax relief sweetener.

State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, plans to brief Illinois House Democrats on the new amendment Tuesday. The PILOT measure, shorthand for payment in lieu of taxes, would allow the Bears to renegotiate their property taxes with Arlington Heights. The property tax relief element, a new addition to stadium-related legislation in Springfield, is essential in getting support from lawmakers outside of Chicago, including Republicans.

Buckner told the Chicago Sun-Times he would push for lawmakers to hold a committee hearing on the measure and get the proposal to the floor this week as soon as possible, depending on how much support, or resistance, he hears in the caucus.

“It’ll do something that the state has not done, that other states have not done in megaprojects legislation. It’ll actually consider how these things should be able to help regular taxpayers as well,” Buckner said. “I’m finding a way to bake [in] some property tax relief for homeowners across the state.”

Buckner said the measure will look at what a special incentive payment looks like for communities, and how a portion of that must go to property tax relief efforts, “both for folks affected in the immediate area, and for folks around the state.”

For the full story, go to chicago.suntimes.com.