by W Thomas Payne

Created on: November 16, 2008   Last Updated: December 08, 2008

The Illinois State Lottery has been almost from its inception one of the truly great long cons ever conceived or pulled off. When first proposed in the 1970s, the intent was extremely altruistic putting money into the ailing and failing educational system of the state, with the profits to be allocated equally across all districts based solely on enrollment.

Almost immediately, the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Jim Thompson pulled the rug out from under the Illinois

taxpayer.

The lawmakers (almost lawyers all) conveniently left out explaining to the voters that the legislators could replace the funds already budgeted in the general fund for education with this new income with a net-zero increase in funding for the schools and the education of the children of Illinois. They managed to con the voters into voting for the amendment to the Illinois Constitution that legalized this form of gambling, using two of the bunco artist's favorite ploys playing on the victim's altruism and/or greed.

And the schools continue to suffer, even more so under the allegedly "pro-education" Governor Rod Blagojevich than it was when this massive swindle was first concocted.

Now, because of wildly profligate spending and the outright waste generated by the Governor's office, the taxpayers of Illinois are being asked to "lease" the operation of this massive income stream to a third party, for a mere pittance of its actual value. By a Governor who I, personally, wouldn't trust to walk my dog, because I would be afraid he'd give my pup away to one of his friends if he saw a fast buck in it.

We are witnessing right now that we cannot trust the Governor's office to do the right thing with state funds, with his refusal to open the books on his (illegal, according to the Illinois Supreme Court) use of funds for an unbudgeted health care scheme.
And we can trust how the billions of dollars being generated by the lottery will be accounted for how?

Meanwhile, Governor Blagojevich continues to drain the coffers of the state, with massive expenditures made for his personal commuting expenses, and for those of his cronies working at his quasi-capitol complex located in downtown Chicago, located a convenient150 miles away from the real capitol of the state. The commuting costs of the Governor alone are enough, every day he goes to work in Springfield, to educate a child for an entire year.

The Illinois
voters need to wake up, and take a long hard look at the people proposing this massive swindle, and who will actually benefit if it ever comes to pass. It won't be the Illinois
taxpayer, and it certainly won't be their children, or grandchildren unless they happen to be related to or closely associated with Governor Rod Blagojevich.

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