Could the gaming bill shrink?
Monday, Jun 13, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Three stories over the weekend suggest the gaming bill could be lopped off a bit. AP…
Senate President John Cullerton has put a hold on the measure as he and other Democrats consider ways to scale it back. That hold stops the clock on the legislation and buys legislators time before an upcoming special session.
* But scaling it back won’t be easy…
If Quinn amends the bill, the House and Senate must approve his changes. But removing proposed sites in Chicago, Rockford, Danville, the south suburbs or Park City, or dropping the racing components, would reverse support from lawmakers representing those interests.
“I control the bill. I’m the only one who can call the bill, and I’m the only one who moves the bill,” said state Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), whose district includes Park City. “Do you really think I would allow the bill to move forward without mine being in it?”
Multiply Link’s stance by 95—the number of lawmakers who voted for the bill — and you can understand how changes could sink it. It received the bare minimum 30 votes to advance from the Senate.
Link said he plans to meet with Quinn in the next few weeks to discuss the possibility of follow-up legislation to address Quinn’s concerns. The goal would be to convince Quinn to sign the bill on the condition a follow-up bill might later scale down the scope.
* And the House sponsor isn’t all that excited about reducing it…
State senators are looking for ways to shrink the size of a major casino expansion lawmakers just approved in the hopes of avoiding a veto by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who fears too much gambling is packed into the plan.
The gambit faces two significant challenges. It’s unclear how much lawmakers would have to cut out to pass muster with the governor. And the gambling deal had so many pieces to satisfy so many interest groups, removing one could send the whole thing toppling down. […]
Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat who sponsored the measure in the House, said he was surprised to hear his colleagues were considering changes when Quinn has yet to weigh in with specifics about what he would sign off on and what he wouldn’t.
Lang said it’s “premature” to start nixing parts of the plan, noting that negotiating such a large deal requires weighing many interests. He said peeling away some portions in an attempt to bring Quinn on board could put the whole thing in danger.
“I’ve been working on this bill for 20 years, and I finally found the right combination,” Lang said. “If slots at tracks come off, you can’t pass the bill. If the money for downstate agriculture comes off, you can’t pass the bill. If you take out casinos for Danville and Rockford, it might damage the ability to pass the bill.”
* Related…
* Gambling package hinges on Quinn decision: “I wouldn’t have voted for it if it didn’t have slots at the racetracks,” Poe said. “I’ve got an agricultural background. It’s a lot bigger business than people realize. There’s a lot of jobs that surround horseracing. We’re just losing that industry. In that main gaming bill, excluding the fairgrounds, there’s a lot of money going to (university) extension (programs), water conservation. There’s a lot going to rehabilitate 4-H, county fairs. I think that brought a lot of downstaters onboard that wouldn’t have been with that. I don’t think it would have passed without that.”
* Churchill urges customers to push slots in IL
* How casinos can be a boon-or bust-for local economies
- Cincinnatus - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 10:36 am:
Would the projected loss of revenue resulting from cutting the number of gaming stations be offset with an equivalent spending cut in the state budget?
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 10:57 am:
State budget is not based on revenue from this bill.
Let’s review reality here. It might take 10 years to fully implement this legislation.
First there is the economy stupid. Beside Chicago there is not a lot of likelihood the gaming industry to will rush to park city, danville or rockford.
Second is the glacier like speed of the gaming board. Silver Eagle closed in the late 1990s and not a penny as been bet at the 10th license since. That may change this summer.
Not a dime has been dropped on video poker yet. That program is 2 years old.
No more money has been gained from lotteery expansion.
Who knows how long it will take the get the racinos going?
PQ should just sign the bill and drop the clever guy act
- Doug Dobmeyer - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 10:58 am:
Gov. Quinn is in the proverbial spot between a rock and a hard place.
He should veto the bill and ask the legsilators to come back w/something reasonable. A city owned casino in Chicago is not reasonable as it completely undercuts the concept of government in this country. People depend on government to be above the everyday conflict and to arbitrate differences. Government cannot do that if it is a willing participant as a party to a matter, in this case gambling.
The passage of SB744 has shown how dangerous and irresponsible such a lae would be - now is the time to pull back, have him veto the bill and start over.
My argument doesn’t even mention the fact the U.S. is still locked in a major recession that threatens families.
Doug Dobmeyer
Spokesperson
Task Force to Oppose Gambling in Chicago
- x ace - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 11:00 am:
Not opposed to expansion, BUT:
Before the Governor signs SB 744 or any modification of it there should be a complete logistical and cost analysis. Can the plan actually be implemented, carried out, and regulated effectively and at what cost to the State ?
Only then can a rational decision be made.
So far the whole thing seems to be erratic and fueled by tunnel visioned interests on all sides acting on emotion.
- just sayin' - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 11:10 am:
Obviously Pat Quinn doesn’t care about farmers, horses, jobs, children, or America. (snark)
- How Ironic - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 11:10 am:
@ Doug
What does the fact that the US ‘is locked in a recession’ have to do with anything related to gambling?
If that’s the case, I suppose we ought to simply ban every bar, casino, movie theater, dance hall, waterpark, amusement park or anywhere else that people may spend their money.
If you don’t like to gamble, don’t go to the casino. Because some people suffer addictions doesn’t mean the vast majority of those that are responsible should suffer.
- Palatine - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 11:28 am:
Casino’s and slots will not save the horse racing industry. It is dying a slow death due to reduction of horse betters. I know it’s painfull to watch and many people will be affected, but for goverment to step in and help one industry with a fundamentally flawed plan is suspect. Say NO to the expansion of gambling because if we don’t carma won’t be good.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 11:32 am:
===because if we don’t carma won’t be good. ===
LOL
This is your idea of governance?
- Robert - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 11:42 am:
==Government cannot do that if it is a willing participant as a party to a matter, in this case gambling.==
So Mr. Dobmeyer, we should cancel the Illinois state lottery, and replace its revenue with higher taxes and/or cuts to social services?
- wordslinger - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 12:45 pm:
If private investors want to go into Rockford or Danville or the other spots, why not?
If you read between the lines with Lang, he’s telling Quinn that this bill is the only way you get a Chicago casino.
Quinn seems to put himself in a box for some reason, or he thinks he can bargain with this on other issues. I doubt that the latter is correct.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 12:46 pm:
=== Because some people suffer addictions doesn’t mean the vast majority of those that are responsible should suffer. ===
I hear free market advocates like the Illinois Policy Institute make that argument about legalizing pot all of the time.
If the gaming bill is trimmed, you’re going to have to add atleast one vote in the Senate.
Here are some folks they MIGHT flip:
J. Collins
Garrett
Kotowski
Schoenberg
If anything, my guess is that the Racino in Springfield is the first thing to go…GOP Senator, GOP Rep, GOP mayor, GOP county.
Anyone know why Garrett, Schoenberg, and Biss voted No?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 1:01 pm:
===my guess is that the Racino in Springfield is the first thing to go===
Not unless they replace the Downstate cash.
- Doug Dobmeyer - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 1:09 pm:
i assume if i was a fool and liked lang and link’s position on gambling then u would like my position of being a cheerleader. i also assume u don’t live in chicago and understand why a city owned casino will be detrimental for the folks living here.
being in the middle of a recession is key, because u don’t cause people to lose money they need for other things. government has no business facilitating the stealing of a family’s money.
- Pkes - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 1:19 pm:
Palatine- go to the states with racinos and see what is happening there. Racing is booming!
- Farker - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 1:43 pm:
@Doug
Liking the gambling bill makes one a fool? You have no business telling another adult how they should or shouldn’t spend their hard earned money. If it’s at a race track, river boat or casino then so be it.
- How Ironic - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 2:22 pm:
@ Doug,
Then I would also assume you are against collection plates at church as well? After all, any money deposited there on Sunday is ‘money they need for other things’?
How about adults get to make adult decisions about where/when to spend THEIR money.
If you don’t like gambling, then I would suggest you steer clear of the casino. I don’t need you to make decisions for me.
- Palatine - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 2:33 pm:
The edumacation in da State is ewsome.
- siriusly - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 2:49 pm:
YDD - Kotowski probably voted no because he has a casino that is about to open in his district and Bluhm is very unhappy about this bill. Just a guess.
Biss - make sense to me, first term young guy from a liberal district. I see no reason why he should vote yes actually.
Schoenberg and Garrett - I won’t even try to speculate there.
- Wensicia - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 2:51 pm:
Quinn is just stalling to prove his relevance, he’ll sign it. I can’t see him turning anything down he believes will bring in more revenue.
- lake county democrat - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 3:54 pm:
In Link’s defense, if the point of the Chicago casino is to stop money from going to Indiana, why wouldn’t the same apply to Park City (to keep Lake and McHenry Countyites from Milwaukee)? Trust me, nobody is going to skip Des Plaines or wherever that O’Hare one is and go to Park City. Few will even skip Elgin to go to Park City. Now had they put it in the Waukegan harbor and run Ravina-style trains from Chicago up there, that’d have been intreesting.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 4:01 pm:
lcd, the idea is to bring Wisconsin money here. Also, the idea is to pass a bill.
- Been There - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 4:02 pm:
siriusly,
I have to disagree with you about Bluhm being very unhappy. Would he rather there be no competition? Yes, but with provisions that lower the tax rate and change the structure of his bid I believe he was neutral on the bills passage.
Kotowski stuck with the City of Des Plaines which is on the hook for $10 mil a year because of their participation in Bluhms bid. The bill decreases that by $4 mil a year but for some reason they would rather stay on the hook for the whole $10 mil and they stayed as an opponent of the bill.
- Curious - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 5:07 pm:
What happens if the Supreme Court finds for the state in the case that has been heard there allowing video gaming in taverns, truckstops and clubs? That bill has passed the house, senate and has been signed by Gov. Quinn already.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 13, 11 @ 9:33 pm:
The legislation is a 400-page monster. It is poorly written and fraught with problems. And it will take the Gaming Board a long time to implement because the legislation fails to fund the IGB to hire the needed staff to regulate all the new casinos. But maybe that was done on purpose.
- psmyth95 - Tuesday, Jun 14, 11 @ 1:25 pm:
Doesn’t anyone get annoyed with the “what’s in it for me mentality”? That is what is killing this state. Instead of focusing on a good bill; one that works for the State as a whole, it is cut up into little pieces for everyone just so that it passes. I’m appalled by Rep. Lang’s statement; so what if he’s been working on this for years — he hasn’t been working on the member’s sense of community and looking at the State as a whole. This bill will be terrible, it goes too far and is not what we need. We need good job creation, good training programs, and a capital bill. Not this monstrosity of a gambling addiction on steroids bill. Maybe Lang should go to gamblers anonymous and find out what he is really advocating for.
- Just The Way It Is One - Tuesday, Jun 14, 11 @ 6:29 pm:
However it’s done, something constructive that reaps significant financial gain for all parts of our beloved State needs to get done here–I just really hope they don’t somehow implode this extremely important, timely opportunity–and you know Rahm will also intercede to do everything HE can in his power to keep the Second City’s Casino, plus the slots should stay in it (although MAYbe not necessarily at the 2 Chicago Airports), Park City’s should stay preCISEly because Illinois (for a change) would definitely attract lots of Wisconsin folks a short trip down, plus Downstaters and the agriculture industry should probably get one Casino also…but whatever they do, do NOT let this golden opportunity slip away People!!!