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The Illinois General Assembly did not approve spending on
proposed Chicago sports facilities this year, but at the
Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, AFL-CIO
President Tim Drea said Pritzker is not necessarily against
stadium funding.
“He hasn’t said no, he hasn’t necessarily, you know, the
subsidies and stuff. There’s a lot going on out there. We want
everything to be in the mix,” Drea said.
Illinois Republican State Sen. Andrew Chesney told The Center
Square this is a rare opportunity where progressives and
conservatives come together.
“The idea that we’re going to give these wealthy entities tax
breaks is not something I support. The progressive wing of the
Democrat Party actually shares in that position, which is why
Gov. Pritzker is so hesitant to drive forward these proposals,”
Chesney said.
Chesney said elected officials need to put the priorities of the
people of Illinois first, ahead of wealthy entities like the
billionaire owners of the Bears and White Sox, the McCaskey
family and Jerry Reinsdorf, respectively.
Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter said union
leaders will push for state-funded stadium projects. Reiter said
the unions will work with the governor.
“I don’t know that it’s a matter of changing his mind. It’s
continuing to work on the legislation to make the case,” Reiter
said.
Chesney says he received almost 3,000 responses to a survey on
the issue.
“Only three percent, three percent, wanted to support a
taxpayer-funded stadium. Three percent. It is widely unpopular
in my district, and it’s really widely unpopular everywhere,”
Chesney said.
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