By Townhall Chicago News Staff
State Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, said in remarks aired Wednesday that the Chicago Bears have grown more comfortable with a publicly owned stadium model as the Illinois legislature prepares to return Nov. 17 for its fall veto session.
Cunningham sponsors stadium legislation in the Illinois Senate. He said the shift in the team’s position has developed over the past several weeks, ahead of the window lawmakers will have to act during the veto session.
“In the recent weeks, the Bears have gotten more comfortable with that approach,” Cunningham said.
Rep. Dan Augusta, R-Geneva, said in comments aired the same day that any agreement providing financial certainty for the stadium project should be paired with broader property tax relief for Illinois homeowners.
“If we’re going to provide property tax certainty for a large development, we should also provide some reform and relief for all the property taxpayers of Illinois,” Augusta said.
Neither lawmaker described specific financing terms or a dollar figure for a potential deal. Neither gave a timeline for when legislation addressing the stadium might be introduced.
The Illinois General Assembly’s veto session begins Nov. 17 in Springfield. Lawmakers use the session to act on bills left from the regular session and to consider responses to any gubernatorial vetoes.
Augusta’s call for broader tax relief suggests Republican support for a stadium deal could depend on provisions reaching beyond the project itself. It remains unclear whether a bill addressing the stadium will be formally introduced when the session opens next week.
