Casey Berger

Political Data Analyst, Penn State alum .

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

Great job. Now your state risks losing the Bears, the entertainment district, the hotel/restaurant revenue, and decades of tax growth, all so politicians could brag about ‘not giving billionaires money.’ Arlington Heights becomes a dead mall with train tracks

[Darren Bailey @DarrenBaileyIL]

I love the Bears. Like millions of Illinoisans, I want them to stay in Illinois.

But the collapse of the mega projects bill is ultimately good news for homeowners.

Illinois families already pay some of the highest property taxes in America. Homeowners don’t get special tax deals. Small businesses don’t get special tax deals. They pay what they owe. I don’t think billion-dollar sports franchises and developers should play by a different set of rules.

The hard truth is that Illinois has backed itself into a corner. Decades of bad decisions and kicking the can down the road has left us in a position where it’s difficult to compete with states like Indiana without asking taxpayers to shoulder more of the burden. Indiana has far more flexibility to throw incentives around. Illinois doesn’t.

What bothered me most about this process was the rush. Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders were willing to move heaven and earth to push through a complicated, decades-long tax deal for billion-dollar interests in the final hours of session.

That was reckless. It was irresponsible. And above all, it was selfish.

Where is that same urgency for the homeowner getting crushed by property taxes? Where is that same urgency for families watching their tax bills climb year after year? Where is that same urgency for seniors wondering if they can afford to stay in the homes they spent a lifetime paying for?

Springfield always seems to find time for the wealthy and well-connected. It never seems to find time for the people paying the bills.

And that's what I hate about this debate. I love the Bears. I want them here. But I can't look a homeowner struggling to pay their property tax bill in the eye and tell them they should subsidize a stadium for a franchise worth billions of dollars.

If I were governor, my message to the Bears ownership would be simple: you own the land, you own the team, and you should build the stadium yourselves.

There is no easy answer here. If the Bears leave, it will be painful and disappointing. But asking middle-class families to pick up the tab is not the solution.

Illinois homeowners have sacrificed enough already.

[Chicago Bears @ChicagoBears]

Legendary.

[Sunday Night Football on NBC @SNFonNBC]

JIM CORNELISON SETTING THE TONE EARLY. 🇺🇸

[Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter]

Chicago erases a 21-6 fourth-quarter deficit for the Bears’ biggest postseason comeback in franchise history:

[Clabel @Clabel_]

Rest In Peace, Greg Biffle

[Kirk Herbstreit @KirkHerbstreit]

Of all the hires during this coaching carousel this is the best FIT!
Congrats to Penn State on this hire.

[Penn State Football @PennStateFball]

See you in The Bronx.

#WeAre | @PinstripeBowl

[Ross Dellenger @RossDellenger]

Penn State and Matt Campbell have reached an agreement, sources tell @YahooSports. His deal with the school is expected to put him in the top 10 among college coaches.

Team meetings - both schools - are expected to happen soon.

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

@Brett_McMurphy @on3 @OutbackBowl

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

@NFL @CALEBcsw @ChicagoBears Delete this now

[PB Betting @PB_Betting]

🚨CFB WEEK 11 CARDS🚨

3 LOCKS THIS WEEK 🔒🔒🔒

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUP FOR FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!!! WHO YOU GOT???

FULL SATURDAY CARDS PLENTY OF PICKS BELOW👇👇👇👇👇

[ESPN @espn]

Breaking: Penn State has fired James Franklin, sources told @PeteThamel.

Get breaking news alerts from Pete Thamel through the ESPN app ➡️ https://t.co/huu2E9vdNL

[Pete Thamel @PeteThamel]

Sources: Penn State has fired James Franklin.

[Chicago Cubs @Cubs]

Make it count.

[Josh Pate @JoshPateCFB]

You’ve never witnessed toxicity like you’ll see if Penn State opens with a 3 & out or (God forbid) Northwestern goes up 7-0 less than 48hrs after the Phillies were eliminated

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

Cancel the season @NCAAFootball

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

@PSU_Strong PSU 3
UCLA 0

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

Cancel the season @NFL

[Casey Berger @CaseyABerger]

@PSU_Strong 126-0 psu

[PB Betting @PB_Betting]

More Great News - PB Betting CFB Podcast will be available to watch on our new YouTube channel👇

https://t.co/QI35Gf6m8O

👉Will also be available on Spotify and Apple