State legislators in Illinois are racing against the clock to finalize the budget and pass several key bills, including one crucial to keeping the Chicago Bears in Illinois.
The legislative session is set to conclude Sunday night, and on Saturday, there were promising signs of advancement.
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Reports suggest that the budget package might be up for a Senate vote late Saturday and then move to the House. Both parties acknowledge substantial headway, but significant work remains on the “mega-projects” bill aimed at retaining the Bears, with time running short.
The Illinois Senate resumed its session Saturday afternoon, while the House is poised to reconvene for a final push to pass a slew of bills, with the budget at the forefront.
“We have the broad contours of an agreement. We’re still negotiating some final pieces, but our staff is busy drafting the language to present to the public, so we can review and pass this budget,” stated Illinois state Representative Will Guzzardi, a Chicago Democrat involved in budget discussions.
Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon, various groups, including the Chicago Teachers Union, gathered in the rotunda to advocate for progressive revenue measures. Democratic lawmakers indicate that a proposed digital tax on social media companies is gaining traction as a means to offset lost federal funding.
“I really firmly believe that we have to ask the wealthiest people and the most profitable corporations to pay their fair share to the state to help fund that, and I think our budget will reflect those values,” Guzzardi said.
Also high on the final hours-agenda is legislation that would allow the Bears to stay in Illinois through a “mega-projects” bill that would allow the team to negotiate special payments in lieu of property taxes on a new stadium that the team wants to build in Arlington Heights. The terms of that bill are being worked on in the Senate.
“So, they’re doing that right now with our proposal. They’re having other conversations about what another proposal may look like. So, I don’t know exactly what we’re going to get back from them, but they’re able to come to a consensus on something. We’ll be ready to take up that measure here on this side,” said lead Bears negotiator and Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has held several meetings with Democratic leaders, discussing priorities for the waning hours of this session on Saturday. He has repeatedly said he wants to keep the Bears in Illinois, and the team has made it clear the only location under consideration is Arlington Heights. But some Republicans wonder if the governor should be more involved in making a deal happen for the Bears.
“I’m not so sure the governor’s team is putting their full weight and power of the governor’s office behind. Having been here six years, when the governor office wants something, there’s a whole different tone. There’s a whole different approach,” said Illinois state Sen. Seth Lewis, R-DuPage and Cook counties.
ABC7 is expecting a late Saturday night. The state Senate is expected to be in session until midnight or later if needed. The state House, which was slated to start within the 5 p.m. hour, has not set an ending time.
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