Lawmakers should oppose helping Bears

The fall veto session has commenced in Springfield. Legislation that may be considered is a bill proposed by Rep. Mary Beth Canty of Arlington Heights. According to newspapers and other news sources, this bill will provide the Chicago Bears with future “property tax certainty.”

A couple of points are in order here. First, Illinois property taxes are the highest in the nation according to several experts. Second, who other than the Bears have ever had “property tax certainty?” Ms. Canty seems eager to provide this to the Bears, but when will she provide it to the rest of the overburdened taxpaying public, i.e., her constituents?

Rep. Canty has attempted to dress this bill up in new clothes in a weak attempt to make it look like something it is not. She has stated that this bill gives all concerned parties a “real and meaningful seat” at the table. After reading the bill, the words “real yet inconsequential seat” seem a better description.

The bottom line is this. No matter how she positions it, the sole purpose of this bill is to pass money from the coffers of local units of government to the coffers of the Chicago Bears, whose net worth has been estimated to exceed $9 billion. This means taking money from local school districts, park districts and other governmental agencies and handing it to the Chicago Bears.

Rep. Canty claims she is a strong supporter of public education, yet this bill takes money from our public schools for as long as 40 years. Her support seems disingenuous at best. If this bill passes, the Bears will be laughing all the way to the bank as they deposit their corporate welfare check.

I strongly encourage all members of our General Assembly to oppose this legislation.

Paul Wickland

Arlington Heights