Illinois State Representative Chris G. Miller said on April 24 that he voted against House Bill 910, which seeks to provide tax negotiation options for large-scale development projects in the state.
The debate over House Bill 910 comes as Illinois lawmakers consider new economic development incentives amid competition from neighboring states for major employers and concerns about high property taxes. According to a statement issued on his official Facebook page immediately following the Illinois House of Representatives’ passage of House Bill 910 the previous night in Springfield, State Representative Chris Miller detailed his no vote on the legislation that seeks to provide tax negotiation options for qualifying megaprojects. The bill advanced amid discussions over retaining major economic anchors like professional sports franchises while addressing broader fiscal considerations for local governments and residents across the state.
“I support economic growth and relief for working families, but this bill misses the mark. Let’s be clear, the Democrats created this mess because of years of bad policies that do not incentivize businesses to invest in Illinois. Now, they are picking winners and losers in an effort to keep the Chicago Bears from moving to Indiana. I voted no on this bill because taxpayers need protected, businesses need protected, and our state deserves better than uncertain pilot programs that create an unfair playing field,” Miller said according to his official Facebook page.
House Bill 910 would allow developers of projects investing $100 million or more to negotiate payments in lieu of taxes with local bodies, potentially locking in those payments for up to 40 years for billion-dollar-scale initiatives such as the proposed Bears stadium development. Provisions in the amended version direct a portion of any negotiated payments toward property tax relief programs benefiting homeowners in affected districts and the statewide relief fund according to legislative documents.
The Tax Foundation reported that Illinois had an effective property tax rate of 2.07 percent, based on owner-occupied housing value. The group ranked Illinois among the states with the highest property tax rates. Miller’s statement criticized House Bill 910 in the context of tax policy and economic development incentives according to The Tax Foundation. Illinois recorded a net loss of 218 businesses to other states in 2023 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, marking an acceleration from pre-pandemic averages where annual losses typically hovered around 65 firms. When adjusted for population, the state ranked among the top for such outbound business movement in recent years, with many relocating to jurisdictions offering lower overall tax burdens and more predictable regulatory frameworks according to Illinois Policy.
Miller serves the 101st District in the Illinois House of Representatives, encompassing portions of Coles, Clark, Crawford, Cumberland, Edgar, and Lawrence counties along the I-57 corridor. A third-generation cattle farmer and grain operator who owns a large farm in northern Coles County, he was first elected to the chamber in 2019 and resides in Hindsboro according to his official biography. Miller, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 101st House District.
