With No Bears Bill Sent to the Governor Before Adjournment, Bears Say They’ll Move Forward in Indiana
I was hopeful the legislature would have success when I learned a simplified proposal to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois was coming forward in the final hours of session. Typically I would frown upon a bill that came to us at 3:00 in the morning with very little time for review, but due to the volatile nature of the negotiations between the Bears and officials in both Illinois and Indiana, I felt we had to give the bill full consideration.
House Bill 958 as amended would have allowed municipalities in Cook County with populations of over 70,000 to create a local Stadium Authority. With regard to the Arlington Heights property, the Bears would build the stadium with it’s own funds, and upon completion, the stadium property would be turned over to the municipality, which would, in turn, enter into a lease agreement. Because the land would become public land, there would be no property taxes owed on the stadium land. It is important to note that all but a couple NFL stadiums are located on publicly-owned land and therefore are exempt from property taxes. Through HB 958, the Bears would, however, pay property taxes on all of the restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, and other properties that would be part of the larger, mixed-use, development around a stadium.
I voted in favor of the bill. Ultimately, the Bears bill passed in the Senate, but it was not brought up for a vote in the House.
As you have undoubtedly heard, on Friday, the Bears announced they will move forward with their stadium project in Hammond, Indiana. Upon hearing the announcement, I issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement that the Chicago Bears will move forward with their stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana is deeply disappointing and represents a major failure of leadership by Governor JB Pritzker and other leaders who had the power to keep this franchise in Illinois. Despite today’s announcement, I remain hopeful this is not the final chapter and that there is still an opportunity to keep the Bears in our state. Few organizations are as deeply woven into our state’s identity as the Chicago Bears.
“Throughout this process, Governor Pritzker failed to demonstrate the urgency, engagement, and leadership necessary to secure the future of one of Illinois’ most important economic engines. The governor had a responsibility to bring stakeholders together, facilitate serious negotiations, and make the case that Illinois was committed to keeping the Bears. Instead, he chose to sit on the sidelines while the session clock ticked down to zero.
“While Governor Pritzker bears the greatest responsibility for where we find ourselves today, he is not alone. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Democrat leaders in the Senate and House also share responsibility for failing to provide the leadership and vision needed to keep the Bears in Illinois. At every level of government, Illinois leaders had an opportunity to come together around a solution. Instead, they allowed indecision, political posturing, and inaction to put one of Illinois’ most valuable assets at risk.
“I hope Illinois still has an opportunity to keep this team. But if the Bears ultimately leave for Indiana, it will stand as one of the greatest economic and cultural failures in recent state history. It will also be a lasting reminder of a governor who, when faced with a challenge that required leadership, simply failed to govern.”
DeWitte Votes Against Budget that Fails to Deliver Property Tax Relief
On the final day of the spring legislative session, the majority party pushed through a $56 billion budget for the fiscal year that will begin on July 1. The budget represents yet another record-high spending plan for the State of Illinois and it includes $800 million in new taxes and fees.
Prior to the filing of the final budget language, I participated in a Capitol press conference with the other Senate Republican budgeteers. During the conference, we outlined our priorities, and I specifically spoke about failure for Democrats to deliver any level of substantive property tax relief, even though they had an opportunity to do so.
Because gas prices have been so high this year, the State of Illinois has received much higher than expected motor fuel sales tax revenue. Rather than returning that money to taxpayers who are already dealing with record-high costs, the budget takes $150 million from the motor fuel tax fund and redirects it toward general budget use (read that as new spending). If the money was deemed as “surplus,” it should have been returned to taxpayers. Period.
Following the budget’s adoption, I issued the following press statement:
“The budget that passed today illustrates just how tone deaf the Democrats are to kitchen table conversations that are taking place all across Illinois. Families are struggling. Money is tight. Home budgets are stretched thinner than ever. Yet here’s another budget that asks the taxpayers to give more money toward bloated state spending.
“Illinoisans pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation, and this budget does nothing to provide relief. In fact, it makes matters worse. It’s a vicious cycle that continues year after year, and in the end, it’s the taxpayers who always end up paying the price.”
Democrats’ Tax Hikes Keep Coming as Transit Tax Increase Moves Forward
Hours after Illinois Democrats pushed through more than $800 million in new taxes, another tax increase quietly advanced in the Chicago region.
On June 1, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) approved a new 0.25 percentage point sales tax increase for northeastern Illinois. The increase is scheduled to begin August 1 and is expected to generate roughly $553 million on the backs of people visiting and living in Chicagoland, including those in the 33rd District.
The tax hike was made possible under last year’s transit legislation, Senate Bill 2111, which created the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) and set the stage for replacing the RTA with a new governing board. That new board is expected to take office on September 1. As you may recall, I voted against this bill.
The timing is telling. On the same day Democrats were advancing hundreds of millions of dollars in additional taxes to fund their ballooning state budget, another Pritzker-approved tax hike from last year was being put into motion quietly and with little fanfare.
What this means for families, commuters, and visitors to the Chicago region is higher sales taxes starting this summer. This is just another example of how Governor Pritzker and his Democrat allies continue answering Illinois’ biggest problems with higher taxes.
Legislation to Increase Transparency on Utility Bills Passed Unanimously
Illinois consumers will soon have a clearer understanding of the fees and surcharges included on their monthly utility bills, thanks to legislation that passed the Senate unanimously.
House Bill 5524 requires the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) to compile information on electric utility fees and surcharges and make that information publicly available in a clear and accessible format.
Under the legislation, information regarding charges collected through electric utility bills will be compiled and reported, including identifying amounts that are remitted to the state and amounts retained by utilities. The goal is to provide consumers with a clearer picture of how their utility bills are structured and where their money is going.
House Bill 5524 passed the General Assembly unanimously and now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
Over 80 Attend Property Tax Exemption Event in St. Charles
I want to thank everyone who came out earlier this week for the free property tax seminar I co-hosted with State Rep. Dan Ugaste in St. Charles. Kane County Supervisor of Assessments Mark Armstrong will be the guest presenter at the event, and those who attended learned about how their property tax bills are created, how to ensure they are receiving all available exemptions, and how to appeal their assessments if they want to challenge it.
Looking ahead, upcoming events in the 33rd District include:
- June 9: IPASS on Demand in Lake in the Hills
- June 17: ICASH/Unclaimed Property Event in Carpentersville
- July 13: IPASS on Demand in South Elgin
August 4: ICASH/Unclaimed Property Event in South Elgin- August 19: Senior Fair in Carpentersville
- September 12: Document Shredding Event in Elgin
- September 15: Senior Fair in St. Charles
- October 14: Senior Fair in Crystal Lake
All of these events are listed on the Events page of my website with full details. Additional events are added regularly, so please visit my Events page regularly to learn about new events as they are added to the schedule.
DeWitte Announces Winners of 2026 Student Art Contest
Each year, my office hosts an art contest for 5th-grade students throughout the 33rd Senate District, and every year the quality of the projects just gets better and better.
Earlier this week, the winners of the 2025 contest and their families joined me at Colonial Café in St. Charles for an ice cream party to celebrate their success. Four schools participated in this year’s contest, and winners were chosen from each school.
The grand prize winner this year was Evelyn Bueno of St. Patrick Catholic School in St. Charles. A copy of her drawing will be displayed at her school, and another copy will be displayed in my West Dundee office.
I want to extend a special thank you to the teachers at Coventry Elementary in Crystal Lake, Canterbury Elementary in Crystal Lake, St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School in Crystal Lake, and St. Patrick Catholic School in St. Charles, who helped make this year’s contest a great success. These art teachers instill a love of art in students across the region, and the look of pride on their faces as their schools’ winners were announced was priceless.
