Arlington Heights Village Board rejects ban on tax incentives originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
A group’s push to prevent Arlington Heights officials from providing incentives to businesses to relocate to the village hit a major roadblock on Monday, as the village board voted unanimously to reject the proposed ordinance.
The vote was also a potential win for the Chicago Bears, who have said that they would consider negotiating with the village for assistance in building a large multi-use district around a proposed stadium on the site of the former Arlington International Racecourse.
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At Monday’s village board meeting, the panel unanimously rejected the proposed ordinance, which would have banned Arlington Heights from providing tax incentives, abatements or fee reductions to any business seeking to open a location within village limits.
The ordinance was supported by the conservative group Americans for Prosperity, a political action committee funded by Charles and David Koch.
During the meeting, board members spoke forcefully about the need to reject the ordinance, saying that it would put them at a competitive disadvantage with other communities in the pursuit of a wide variety of businesses.
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The ordinance was crafted after it was revealed that the Bears had won the right to purchase the site of Arlington International Racecourse, with the intention of building a new state-of-the-art stadium there.
The team has said that they would privately finance the stadium itself, but would potentially request tax dollars to help construct a large entertainment and multi-use district around the venue, which would include parks, shopping areas and other spaces.
The Bears say they hope to close a deal to purchase the site by early next year.
Even with the defeat, groups seeking to pass the ordinance still have another mechanism that they can use. Under terms of an ordinance passed in 1981, a petition can be circulated seeking to have the village board reconsider the ban on incentives.
To do so would require the signatures of 12% of the village’s registered voters, but if that number were achieved, then the proposed ordinance would be placed on the ballot in the following general election, with exceptions given if village officials were to determine that the ordinance would violate state law.
Even if the ordinance made it to the ballot, and even if a majority of voters agreed to pass it, the village board would still have the authority to repeal it, under terms of the ordinance.
Brian Costin, deputy state director for AFP, says that the group is considering its options, but that the referendum path could be on the table.
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