Legislative Leaders Address Sox Stadium, Spending, BIPA, and Tipped Wages at Chamber Event
House Speaker Chris Welch
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
Perhaps, not surprisingly, with six weeks left scheduled in the spring legislative session, the leaders of the four legislative caucuses in Springfield have a few things on their minds.
Speaking at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce legislative day, leaders gave insights into top policy issues facing the General Assembly this spring and, in the case of Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch, a rare occasion where they speak in public. Though, neither took questions after their speeches.
Harmon recounted his meeting earlier this spring with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who is seeking up to $2 billion in taxpayer assistance to build a new ballpark in Chicago’s South Loop.
“I made it clear to them then that there’s next to no appetite to fund a new stadium with taxpayer dollars,” Harmon said, potentially closing the door on a legislative move on a stadium this spring.
Governor JB Pritzker has previously signaled he had reservations with taxpayer funds being used to subsidize a stadium project, but Harmon’s statement is the most definitive from a legislative leader this spring about the political prospects for such a proposal.
Senate GOP Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) was critical of increased spending under Democrats in recent years, citing the General Fund spending increasing by more than $11 billion in six years.
“That type of increased growth in spending is not sustainable,” Curran said. “State government has to do more while asking for less, especially from our job creators.
Meanwhile, House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savana) was critical of a House Democrat bill ending tipped wages for restaurants in the state, which she said would cause restaurants to cut jobs, raise prices, and, in some cases, close.
“It’s very important this does not pass,” McCombie said. “It will be the end of a lot of small businesses in communities around the state. It will be a loss of jobs. It will be an increase [in prices].”
House Speaker Chris Welch, meanwhile, said House Democrats are holding the bill until a deal can be reached. Numerous progressives, we’re told, don’t want to back down on the issue, which could cause headaches for Democrats over the final weeks of the spring session.
“There’s a lot of folks in our chamber who believe we should have conversations to bring everybody to the table,” Welch said. “To try to force an issue like that down someone’s throat without having the proper conversations wouldn’t be right. We’re not trying to beat the business owners, we’re trying to work with you.”
The ongoing confrontation between the Chamber and legislative Democrats on repairing the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which the Supreme Court essentially pleaded with the General Assembly to fix after a multi-billion dollar settlement against fast food company White Castle appears yet to be settled.
Harmon said he expects Sen. Bill Cunningham’s (D-Chicago) reform bill to move in the Senate as early as today, over business objections to security concerns in the legislation.
The Senate Leader appears unwilling to make additional changes.
“I confess I’m a bit disappointed there has not been more robust support from the business community [for the current bill],” Harmon said. “We are delivering a huge win for Illinois businesses. It’s not everything you want, but progress is good. Nobody gets everything they want. I do not see an appetite for additional amendments.”
But House Speaker Chris Welch appeared more open to a fix business may be interested in.
“I certainly want to get it right,” Welch said, saying he wants business interests at the table.
