Despite pushback, Arlington Heights will move forward on offering financial incentives to attract businesses like the Chicago Bears.
Village officials squashed a petition to create an “Anti-Corporate Welfare Ordinance” that would have forbidden such incentives, the Chicago Tribune reported. The opposition failed to collect enough valid signatures to force a ban. Officials also said such a ban would hurt businesses and taxpayers.
Mayor Tom Hayes said the petition, which was submitted by libertarian group Americans for Prosperity Illinois — a group founded by conservative billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch — was a “terrible idea” that would prohibit any kind of tax break, including public parking as it could be considered a financial incentive.
The petition was drafted in response to the Chicago Bears considering building a home stadium on the site of the former Arlington International Racecourse, which the NFL team is in contract to buy for $197 million.
Team officials have said they wouldn’t seek taxpayer assistance to build the stadium, but would need financial support to build a planned adjoining development. The non-stadium portion of the plan will include housing, offices, retail and entertainment and is expected to cost $5 billion.
The petition that Americans for Prosperity Illinios submitted on Sept. 6, had 667 signatures, which is well over the required minimum of 557 — or 1 percent of the population — to be considered by village officials. However, some of the signatures didn’t match registered signatures, had incorrect or no names or belonged to people who didn’t live within Arlington Heights, leaving the petition with only 544 valid signatures.
Americans for Prosperity released a poll in August that found that 68 percent of Arlington Heights voters were against using taxpayers funds to support the planned stadium.
Brian Costin, deputy state director for Americans for Prosperity Illinois, told the outlet in an email that the group will now focus on getting additional signatures from village residents.
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Chicago Bears potential new home weighing economic benefits
— Victoria Pruitt