Property tax concerns grow amid Bears stadium talks in Illinois

Bears stadium prompts tax concerns

Indiana wants the Chicago Bears. Illinois wants them to stay. Both are offering financial incentives, including property tax breaks.  Bret Buganski explains why that's got people talking tonight.

CHICAGO - The future home of the Chicago Bears may be a competition between Illinois and Indiana state lawmakers. Some are offering financial incentives to build brand-new stadiums with either public tax, or property tax incentives.

What we know:

Illinois state lawmakers advanced the "mega projects" bill that the Chicago Bears insist is necessary to build a new domed stadium in northwest suburban Arlington Heights. This gives developers of large projects, like a new stadium, the ability to save on property taxes by making a "payment in lieu of taxes" to local governments. State representative Kam Buckner, D-26th District, explained how it would work.

"The board that has to approve this agreement; has to have members of every taxing district on it, school district, park district, etcetera' and they will be represented in a weighted vote based on what their total piece of the tax pie in the area is," said Buckner. "We're empowering these folks to be a part of these decisions, to help craft what it looks like because we know that one size does not fit all. What's good for my district may not be good for your district. So we're giving people the local control to figure that out."

RELATED: Illinois lawmakers advance bill eyed by Chicago Bears for new stadium project

The measure passed 13–7 on Thursday during the Illinois House Finance Committee, but there's still questions about whether it has enough votes to pass the full house.

On that same day, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed legislation authorizing funding mechanisms for the construction of a new stadium in Hammond that could attract the Chicago Bears to northwest Indiana.

Braun announced the signing in a post on X, saying he was "thrilled" to take a step toward bringing the Bears to Indiana.

"We made it clear from the beginning that Indiana is open for business. I’m thrilled to sign Senate Bill 27 to create the framework to build a new world-class stadium in Northwest Indiana. Now let’s get this across the goal line," his post reads.

What about financial help for me?

Fox Chicago has reported extensively on how many Northwest Indiana residents are struggling to pay their NIPSCO bills. Some have said their bills have doubled or tripled in the past year. Many have written to their state lawmakers, Braun, members of Congress and even President Donald Trump. We spoke with some residents who criticized Indiana lawmakers, who they feel forgot about them.

"It is just upsetting when we see they told about the Bears stadium and things like that within the state of Indiana, when we're all wondering how are we going to pay our next NIPSCO bill," said Terri Logan, Hamlet, Indiana NIPSCO customer.

"I think it's the same story a lot of times, it's the little guys that pay, it's little guys who suffer," said Christine Shabai, Chesterton, Indiana NIPSCO customer.

RELATED: High Indiana NIPSCO utility bills a yearslong affordability crisis, advocates say

In Illinois, it's a similar feeling with residents, but with property taxes. We spoke with Joe Angelastri, who owns the City News Café in Portage Park. He's a lifelong Chicago Bears fan who doesn't want to see them go to Indiana. However, he's concerned about his property tax bills skyrocketing under the "mega projects" bill.

"Little stores like us are paying 5%, and they're (Chicago Bears) not going to pay not even a fraction of 1%, doesn't make sense," said Angelastri. "We're all supposed to pay our same share, that's how property taxes work. It's supposed to be even across the board, but it doesn't seem to be that way."

Some Illinois House Republicans were skeptical about the "mega projects" bill being good for the entire state.

"I wish everyone was spending as much time too with our current homeowners and business owners addressing their property tax issue," said Rep. Dan Ugasted, R-65th District.

"We have to protect the taxpayers, we really do, they've been getting raked over the coals left and right," said Rep. John Cabello, R-68th District.

What's next:

The Chicago Bears have not made a commitment to any project site and continued to say they're going to do their due diligence. Illinois lawmakers are on recess until the middle of March. That's when the "mega projects" bill could be heard for a full house vote.