Illinois Senate to consider megaprojects after Pritzker calls out amusement tax

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A proposed stadium for the Chicago Bears and other megaprojects are expected to be up for discussion at the Illinois Capitol this week.

After megaprojects legislation cleared the Illinois House last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker suggested that the Senate would make changes.

Pritzker said the Bears do not want a 9% amusement tax added to their ticket prices.

“Obviously that’s something that they didn’t expect, don’t believe is a good thing for Bears fans or for the Bears stadium. We’ll see what can happen in the Senate about that,” Pritzker said.

In February, the Bears notified fans that season ticket prices would increase by an average of 13.5% this year.

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said local governments can either raise taxes or take on debt when revenue doesn’t match state spending.

“And who gets hit? It’s the people that are already getting crushed in this state: the homeowner opening the tax bill, the small business person trying to stay afloat, the farmer that’s trying to hold onto land that the government’s trying to steal from him,” Wilhour said on the House floor last week.

Wilhour said Illinois already has a property tax crisis.

“This bill pours gasoline on it,” Wilhour said.

Wilhour voted against House Bill 910, saying it reflects a two-tier tax system that cuts special deals.

“If you’re big and politically connected, your property taxes are frozen at predevelopment values, your construction taxes get waived and your final tax bill gets negotiated behind closed doors, but if you’re a homeowner, a farmer, a small business person, you pay the full value,” Wilhour said.

The Senate is also expected to consider Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch’s redistricting resolution for legislative maps.