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Should Illinois expand gambling as one way of easing its budget troubles?
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Results so far:
| Yes | 57% | 39 votes | Total: 69 votes | |
| No | 43% | 30 votes |
Yes
by Keith Mazikowski
Created on: January 31, 2011
The State of Illinois General Assembly should once again entertain the expansion of gambling as one means of adding revenue to its coffers. During the recent lame duck session the hugely expansive Illinois gaming legislation died when the session was adjourned. The size of expansion of gambling allowed in the bill may have slowed down its progress.
The bill, SB 737, was much too expansive as it called for four additional casinos in Rockford, Danville, Park City, and the South Suburbs, plus one slated for the City of Chicago. Additionally, the legislation would have allowed the states five racetracks to have slots and allow a defunct race track, Quad City Downs to reopen as a racino. Such a large influx of gambling venues would have cannibalized existing gaming sites. It seemed the legislature had cobbled all of these other gambling locations together in order to gain votes for passage of the bill.
A much more palatable bill can be reconstructed that would include a much smaller expansion in order to gain passage. Such gaming legislation might include a new Casino for the City of Chicago and one for the Waukegan area in Lake County. Additionally any new legislation should allow additional gambling positions for the existing river boats which would include more table games, particularly for poker. When one walks into the Grand Victoria Casino in downtown Elgin it is sad to see only six poker tables set up in the bowels of the casino. Is it any wonder that revenues are dropping to the advantage of Indiana and Wisconsin?
The gaming bill should also allow slots and poker tables at the States three thoroughbred race tracks, Arlington Park, Hawthorne Race Course, and Fairmount Park as well as the two harness (standard bred) race tracks, Balmoral Park and Maywood Park. This would allow the sport of kings to survive in Illinois. Not only would additional gaming revenues at the states tracks save jobs, but it would add a few as well. To balance whatever effect the slots at the tracks might have on the river boats, legislation might allow the boats to have a “racebook” in their gaming complexes. A kind of in house OTB (Off Track Betting venue). Other states that have allowed slots at their tracks have seen it benefit the horse racing industry greatly, particularly in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Florida and New Mexico.
While the expansion of gaming in Illinois is no panacea to the states troubled financial state, it is one way to add considerably to the coffers. Gaming has a place as it is widely accepted as one of many entertainment alternatives in today’s fast paced market.
Learn more about this author, Keith Mazikowski.
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No
by Mona Gallagher
Created on: September 21, 2008 Last Updated: December 08, 2008
The state of Illinois is an intricate web of networks from Chicago to Springfield. It's difficult to identify the good guys from the bad guys, but lately with the trial of Tony Rezko, we've learned that Illinois politicians have multiple relationships with all kinds of people. The expansion of gambling would open an additional avenue to the networking system.
Let's explore some of these multiple relationships:
Rod Blagoyevich, Governor of Illinois is said to be under federal investigation because of his relationship with Tony Rezko and the testimony at Rezko's trial implicating him in state appointments. The Rezko court documents may be found at: [http://blogs.suntim es.com/rezko/2008/07 /rezko_here_are_blag o_and_obama_1.html]
T ony Rezko has a long term friendship with Barack Obama. One publication, and maybe more than one, suggests that Obama was instrumental in helping Rezko obtain Chicago City contracts for his housing rehab business in addition to their joint real estate buy. [Case Against Barack Obama, by David Freddoso]
Alexi Giannoulias, comes from a family of bankers who allegedly gave (or gives) loans to the mob. He is currently the Illinois State Treasurer and he was a speaker at the DNC in August. He's a good friend of Obama and they used to shoot hoops together.
Mayor Richard M. Daley, son of Richard J. Daley, said not long ago, "There's no crime in Chicago," and more recently said, "There is no Chicago machine." Chicago City Hall provided more than a million dollars worth of contracts to Tony Rezko for his Rezmar business. The buildings he "rehabbed" are boarded up and abandoned.
Illinois has sent more than one governor to jail from both parties, and some of the Mayor's aides have been indicted on mail fraud charges.
Freddoso writes about the late John Stroger and a patronage system where friends and families benefited in his Cook County Board of Commissioners. Contributions to his campaign were the key to getting ahead in the organization. Stroger's son Todd, with the endorsement of Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, stepped into his father's shoes when he left the race.
Expansion of gambling in Illinois is not, in my opinion, the best way to balance the state budget. Given the history of Illinois and politicians that populate the present government system, it would exacerbate the problems that already exist. The network of multiple relationships could grow even larger.
If Illinois truly wants to ease it's state budget problems, the governor should take a good look at all the political networking practices of patronage and special interests in Illinois and make some changes that would direct the money to where it rightfully belongs. It would also put qualified people in positions instead of political contributors.
Reform is needed but it's not possible as long as the network perpetuates itself by nepotism and patronage.
Gambling brings undesirable elements to the best environment, but to expand it in Illinois is tantamount to waving a red flag in front of a bull.
Learn more about this author, Mona Gallagher.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
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