Illinois has only recently passed New Jersey for the dubious honor of the nation’s highest property taxes, but residents have suffered under the state’s repressive tax burden for decades. In Cook County alone, taxes have increased annually for over 30 years. This crush has affected homeowners and businesses alike, though the massive impact on homes has garnered deserved headlines in the past few months. Many of Chicago’s signature business districts have seen a remarkable downturn in the past few years and have not truly recovered since the pandemic.
Things have reached such a dangerous point that even the iconic Chicago Bears are looking to move out of Cook County and maybe even Illinois entirely. This has brought the Illinois and Cook County tax crisis to the wider world, both exposing systemic issues and making the Windy City a laughingstock. There has been recent legislation that may help keep the Bears in Chicago, but politics and taxes could just as easily get in the way.
A Common Debate on the Surface
At first blush, this appears to be the standard argument when it comes to professional and college stadiums. Sports organizations want old facilities to be traded for state-of-the-art ones, while taxpayers foot most of the bill. It can be argued that taxpayers will win in the long run thanks to sales taxes, hotels, bars, and other entertainment that is centered on stadiums. Recently, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that they would be moving their stadium from Missouri to Kansas, chasing tax breaks and a welcoming government. The Chicago Bears may have taken a page from the Chiefs’ book in that regard. However, unlike many teams, the Bears would build the stadium on their own dime, rather than using taxpayer handouts, at least direct ones.
The threat to move to get new facilities is an old one. Infamously, Al Davis blackmailed the city of Oakland numerous times to keep the Raiders, eventually moving to Los Angeles, back to Oakland again, and eventually to Las Vegas. To bring the Raiders back, Oakland leveraged a great deal of debt on the promise of revenue that never came. This forced massive cuts to city services, like police and firefighters, only to lose the team anyway. This is the textbook example of why many local governments are afraid to kowtow to NFL, MLB, or NBA owners. As mentioned above, Oakland lost the Raiders, the Golden State Warriors, and will soon lose the A’s thanks to stadium demands.
Property Taxes Complicate Things
Like the Raiders, Chiefs, and other sports teams, the Bears playing hardball with Cook County is partially about pure greed on the part of the ownership, but it is also a reasonable approach due to high taxes. The Bears originally purchased an old racetrack in Arlington Heights with the intention of replacing the ancient Soldier Field. However, without public funding or tax breaks, constructing a new stadium there is not feasible, especially with the organization paying for the $5 billion stadium themselves. While many state-of-the-art facilities across the country got tax breaks to build, including many seeing no property taxes at all, the new Bears stadium would see an annual tax bill of around $210 million. Ownership can argue that they cannot compete with that level of overhead. Many other iconic Chicago teams, like the Cubs, pay little or no property tax, which would put a greater burden on the Bears.
Possible New Homes for the Bears
Indiana is shaping up to be the No. 1 destination for the Bears. With low taxes and close proximity to their fanbase, the Bears could easily build a cheaper stadium across the border. Gary has pushed hard to be the new home for the Bears, with bountiful land and solid infrastructure. The city has also tried to rebrand as a hub for entertainment. Hammond is another possibility, but more areas are sure to throw their hats into the ring. This could give the Bears even greater leverage on Illinois when it comes to tax breaks and infrastructural support.
The Bears as a Microcosm for Illinois and Cook County
The Bears looking to flee Chicagoland for greener pastures in Indiana is certainly not unique, as many homeowners and businesses have already done so. Illinois has lost its population to other states at a record pace, with half of the counties in the state seeing a drop in population. Due to the rural nature of Illinois outside Cook County and the collar counties, some of this follows the general pattern of rural decline and urban growth seen in most of America, but Illinois still stands out. High taxes, especially property taxes, are one of the key reasons for this exodus. Housing costs are another, though this is typically linked to property taxes, as they increase mortgages and rents.
Indiana has become a prime destination due to low taxes and job opportunities. Cities like Indianapolis have evolved to become destination cities, while Rust Belt cities like Gary are being gentrified at a great clip. This has made Indiana and similar states a magnet for both rural and urban Illinois citizens looking to escape oppressive property taxes. This would make the Bears hopping across the state line a clear reflection of Illinois businesses and citizens, a flow that seems to be growing.
Business Revenue Continues to Fall in Cook County
Thanks to economic changes brought on by the pandemic, in addition to rising property taxes, Chicago has seen plenty of its iconic economic centers take massive hits. The Loop was cursed with tons of unused office space, which brought in little taxable value. This was joined by the failing retail stores of the Magnificent Mile. This dual collapse forced the cash-hungry Cook County Assessor’s Office to look elsewhere for funding, putting the onus on homeowners. With tax bills already delayed, homeowners opened their November bills only to be greeted with a general increase of 16%. Many communities, especially those on the West and South Sides, saw unbelievable spikes. Some even saw jumps of over 100% in just one year. As more businesses flounder, only more responsibility will be placed on the backs of homeowners.
The Megaprojects Bill Could Help
With a worsening pension crisis, rising taxes, mounting debts due to late payment, and countless other issues, a sports team seems like a luxury for the state of Illinois and Cook County. However, there is some hope for football fans. House Bill 4058, known as the “megaprojects bill” could provide some relief. This would grant large construction projects tax incentives, tax freezes, and payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs). While these tax breaks are currently reserved for projects worth over $500 million, the bill would lower the threshold to $100 million. One of the highlighted project types would be stadiums, making it the perfect fit.
The bill is certainly not without its critics, especially after the debacle at the end of 2025. While large organizations like the Bears would get sweetheart deals, the buck would be passed to smaller businesses and homeowners. This would follow the same pattern that caused the giant tax hikes that swept Chicago to end 2025, which could cause more chaos. Proponents argue that such a change is necessary to combat rising prices and the flight of people from the area. This mirrors the debate that is currently being had in city governments and the state legislature. The government of Arlington Heights, along with the school districts that would lose taxation on the stadium, have all come out in support of the megaprojects bill.
The Average Taxpayer Can Find Relief with Appeals
While organizations like the Bears may be in line to get tax breaks, you probably are not. As Illinois and Cook County continue to fail in lowering taxes on homeowners and small businesses, it is up to you to protect your property and future. Property tax appeals are being utilized like never before across the state, especially in Chicago. The need and demand for them have become so high that Cook County closed 2025 by reopening most townships for appeal, the first time in history. While most appeal windows are now closed, a few choice townships in Cook County are still open, giving you the best chance to lower your taxable value now and in the years to come.
O’Connor Can Help
If you want to have a successful appeal, you need a great deal of evidence. You need a comprehensive study of home sales in your area, knowledge of neighboring property values, and more. This can be a large hill to climb for the average person, which is why large businesses have an advantage, using tax professionals to gather evidence and lawyers to represent them in appeals. However, we at O’Connor are here to make sure that all the people of Illinois have a fair shake.
We can gather your evidence for you, while also analyzing it for any errors. We will study your assessment, looking for simple mistakes that could cost you in the long run. Using our patented databases, we will run an analysis of home sales, comparable properties, and more. While we cannot represent you in appeals, we can coordinate appeals with attorneys that know the system. With our evidence by your side, you and your lawyer will be positioned for the best possible protest. There is no upfront cost to you, you will only pay if our evidence and analysis help you win your case. We will even analyze your assessment every year, always poised to help coordinate an appeal with an attorney if needed.
