As lawmakers consider massive public subsidies for new sports stadiums, I’ve introduced legislation to make sure Illinois taxpayers get a fair deal.

Under my proposal, professional sports teams would only qualify for public financing if they’ve had a winning record in at least three of the past five seasons. Taxpayer dollars should never be wasted on billionaire team owners who aren’t investing in their teams’ competitiveness. We need to be careful with how we spend limited public dollars, especially when it comes to billion-dollar franchises.

This comes as the Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox are both seeking significant state support for new stadium projects. But under my legislation, neither team would currently qualify:

The Bears haven’t had a winning season since 2018.

The White Sox have posted only two winning seasons in the last five.

Public investments should benefit Illinois residents first — and should reward teams that show they’re truly competing.

You can read more about this proposal in CBS Chicago’s full coverage here:
👉 Illinois lawmaker wants to tie public financing for sports stadiums to team performance