73 Comments - A Citizen - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:22 pm: Chess, unlike Roulette, is not gambling ! - If It Walks Like a Duck... - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:25 pm: The “House” wins again. - Johnny USA - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:27 pm: Not wholesome because Blago wanted it? On not wholesome because it is not wholesome? Good job protecting the economic viability of the industry as a whole in Illinois, nonetheless. - Legaleagle - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:34 pm: You mean the Speaker just recently learned that gambling in Illinois is “not wholesome”??? Come on, he was around when the first kinky licenses were handed out to the politically-connected. And where does he get off killing the bill all by himself - he won’t let the House actually vote on it?? So much for democracy and reform in Illinois. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:36 pm: ===he won’t let the House actually vote on it??=== You new in town? - Ghost - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:39 pm: Expanding gambling was a horrible idea. bad way to support government. - Bill - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:42 pm: “I don’t like it so its dead!” That’s the problem with Illinois. Try reforming that Collins. - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:48 pm: That certainly is power. With this issue, to some that power will be abusive while to others it will be wise. - Hopeful - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:48 pm: And that is a sure bet!!! - Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:50 pm: In every legislature, including congress, the person with the gavel controls the flow of legislation to the floor. Some gavels are more powerful than others, but this is not a unique move in the grand scheme of things. And in this particular case, completely unsurprising, especially considering that the top backer of more gaming in the House is GOP Leader Cross. - Downstate weed chewing hick - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:50 pm: I wonder if all the “legalize and tax drugs” folks also support unlimited gaming in the state. Truth is, illegal gaming is everywhere. Bars, gas stations, truck stops, and all is unregulated in terms of return percentages and taxes. Seems like the issues are similar. - Greg - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 12:51 pm: I don’t know much about state politicians–hence my readership–but how embarrassed is the average legislator of this system? I would feel ridiculous for being paid to participate in such a charade. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:02 pm: Greg, legislators can change leaders if they want to. - Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:05 pm: I suspect one reason why Cross is for it is because he knows it won’t go anywhere. Time to organize a meaningless floor demonstration. This is soooo bad for the state. I mean, where else can we get $11 billion? - Capital Bill - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:05 pm: Sounds like Madigan wants the tax increase - this will ensure Quinn will not see another term. Madigan needs to cross the border into Indiana and see that Illinois taxpayers are giving Indiana those dollars. If he truly believes gambling is not ‘wholesome’ than he should kill the casinos, lottery and internet gambling. - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:09 pm: –I mean, where else can we get $11 billion?– The state wasn’t going to get anything near that with gambling expansion, was it? - 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:10 pm: ===The state wasn’t going to get anything near that with gambling expansion, was it?=== Good point, as usual, Word. But it would have funded a nice capital bill. Back to the drawing board… - Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:10 pm: That was snark, word. - Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:12 pm: No sense in voting on a gambling issue just a few short months before circulating nominating petitions for re-election. Gambling proceeds could also diminish the need for income tax revenue which will need to be maximized in order to place the heaviest anchor around the neck of the current Governor in the upcoming primary election. Better to do the massive gambling expansion right after being elected to a full four year term, so that people will have time to forget about by then. The combination of income tax revenue and additional gaming revenue will certainly lessen the shared pain in a better economy, but there is no need to rush into anything so un-wholesome just yet. This doesn’t bode well for Cullerton’s pet Internet Lottery ticket concept; unless of course that limited proposal could be the bargaining chip. - Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:16 pm: Can we go home now? - Ghost - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:17 pm: === it would have funded a nice capital bill. === yeah, if only we had some kind of steady revenue stream to support the state which did not overly ride on the backs of the poor… some kind of tax, perhaps a percentage of money earned. - He's right - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:27 pm: Speaker’s right. Gambling revenue is not magical. It is also not something stable to count on and it pulls our capital out of state instead of putting it to work here in state or at least into savings or debt reduction. It’s a fig leaf to hide behind for legislators afraid to go on record either for raising taxes or cutting programs and services. The revenue from gaming has been over-promised many a time. There just is little if any upside to an expansion, and plenty to fear or at least not approve of. If you’re taking bets, put me down for a straight 1.2 percent tax hike, a small capital bill, a token reform bill that leaves the door open for further additions later, and we get out of here by end of May, no overtime. - GA Watcher - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:28 pm: Speaker Madigan has never been a big fan of gambling as a means to provide revenue to the State. Go back to the days when the riverboat legislation passed, the Republican leaders were the primary backers of it. Madigan was just along for the ride because he got something else out of the deal. He’s been that way ever since with horse racing, a Rosemont casino, etc. - TT - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:30 pm: =Greg, legislators can change leaders if they want to.= Keyword here is legislators… Not the people of Illinois. Whether Madigan is making moves for the best of the people of Illinois has yet to be seen because Madigan is not held accountable by the people of Illinois. Rather just *some* people in Illinois. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:42 pm: Madigan is not held accountable by the people of Illinois. Rather just *some* people in Illinois. A 1/118th share of them, to be more precise. Those sliver of people differentiate this position from that of a monarch. “A monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged with an individual, who is the head of state, often for life or until abdication, and “is wholly set apart from all other members of the state.” - levois - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:42 pm: So all he has to do is command it and it goes away? - One of the 35 - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:44 pm: Rule #1, Never bet against the Speaker. In spite of the iron fisted rule of the Speaker, he is correct that gambling is not the answer. You can only raise so much from sin taxes. Move the income tax from 3% to 4% and add 10 cents per gallon gas tax. Cut programs where possible. That’s not the whole answer but its a start. - steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 1:47 pm: Uh, TT, how do you suppose those legislators get to the GA? Ever heard of representative democracy? - Yadi Dog - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:01 pm: Speaker, is that your final answer? I’m tired of the gaming expansions…let’s hit up all the Dead Heads and tax the pot they already smoke. - Linus - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:03 pm: Casino revenues are on the wane, and gambling puts an unfair onus on the low-income folks who disproportionately account for casinos’ clientele. Kudos to the Speaker for putting the kibosh on a crummy idea. Time to quit avoiding the only truly feasible solution when facing a deficit of this size. Raise necessary revenues in a no-BS way: straight-up income tax increase. - Third Generation Chicago Native - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:03 pm: Madigan wants his daughter in the Governor’s office, he will be a thorny bush to Quinn, or actually continue such. - Vote Quimby! - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:05 pm: Was MJM using “gambling” instead of “gaming” a ploy to let everyone know he is not joking around? Casinos hate that word! - ilrino - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:10 pm: So no gaming. And no income tax increase unless Cross puts 20 votes on it, which he says he won’t do. Yes, a chess game. Except chess games rarely end in train wrecks. - Lincoln Parker - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:12 pm: WBEZ is reporting Cook County has repealed the 1% sales tax increase from last year. http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=33993 - dupage dan - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:12 pm: Moses Madigan has come down from the mount with his tablets which only he can read. First commandment, “thou shalt not expand gambling”. I wonder what’s next? - Harrison Fawcett - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:19 pm: No gambling expansion again this year? Looks like we’ll just have to start printing our own money. That’ll fix it. - Silverback - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:21 pm: Powerful? you bet! Six to seven years ago I was very suspicious of MM. Four years ago I began to believe he had the best interest of Illinois at heart. Today I thank him for his service. - Captain Flume - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:26 pm: Far-fetched analogy: When the USSR collapsed it left the USA as the lone super power, getting all the attention, but also having to deal with all the thousand skirmishes that sprung up because there was no dominating opposing force to keep them down. If we view Blagojevich as the USSR and Madigan as the USA, I wonder how the Speaker with deal with the all the attention the “most powerful man” in Illinois, now that the foe has been vanquished. That appellation may be a mantle he wears, but I wonder if he can be long comfortable with attention it brings. - PONsters* - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:31 pm: Looks like StateWideTom has been gypped out of another chance to dance all the gambler lobbyist around the Maypole. Shucks Let’s also remember the industry appears broke and more unwilling than usual to ante up a lot cash for new casinos or positions Looks like all sides save a lot of energy - Randolph - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:31 pm: Gambling revenues are a cop out for members, always have been, always will be. They’re not forced to make “tough” decisions. I think MJM made the right policy call for the state. - PONsters* - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:32 pm: BTW PONsters stands for Party of No The latest label for the Circular Firing Squad - Anon, Good Nurse, Anon - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:32 pm: Would gambling expansion have given us the money now? Because quite honestly, we need it now, not at some hazy point in the future. - Steve - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:33 pm: There’s more to all this than meets the eye.Chris Kelly was Blago’s point man on gaming.With all the investigations around Chris Kelly,Madigan is probably waiting for the fallout from some of this.Let’s not be naive: a casino license was a heck of a lot for valuable than Obama’s Senate seat. - Jake from Bellwood - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 2:35 pm: Wholesome? Wholesome? Here come the morality police with sirens blaring. Illinois is in the hole some. To the tune of billions of dollars. Why shut off a potential source of revenue? I don’t get it. - TT - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:06 pm: =Uh, TT, how do you suppose those legislators get to the GA? Ever heard of representative democracy?= Madigan is a representative for part of Illinois. Not all of it. Yet he controls bills that effect all of Illinois. That is what I was commenting on. Sorry if it wasn’t clear. - Capital Bill - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:11 pm: It looks like a large tax increase or gaming. Didn’t the polls last year show more people prefer a couple more boats than paying more taxes? I like to look back at Michigan’s history - they raised taxes - lost jobs and people - ultimately, turned to gaming - but it is too late. The jobs are already gone. Madigan’s decision to not look at gaming is a decision to increase unemployment as consumers have less money to spend. Small businesses that are struggling may not be able to succeed with another tax increase. A new Fuel tax is another tax on everyone. The businesses will pass that cost on to consumers and consumers will pay more as a result. On top of their own tax increase and additional fuel costs. I thought the number one rule in a recession - is do not raise taxes. - Fan of the Speaker - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:15 pm: It’s days like this that I’m glad Mike Madigan is the Speaker of the House. When the GOP acts like idiots - it’s the Speaker who brings sound advice and direction. No wonder he’s the Speaker. Thank God for him. - Bill - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:25 pm: In Congress it is possible to vote to discharge a bill from committee but not in the Il. House. Nobody elected this guy God or King. In fact most Illinoisans didn’t elect him anything. This has been going on way too long. The Pate Phillip rules need to be changed. One little guy should not be able to dictate every policy and law in the whole state. Whether he is right on this particular issue is beside the point. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:27 pm: “and we’re not going to deal with that this year.” My favorite part was he said, “we”, as though others made a difference. Madigan is Illinois! - jake - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:31 pm: The benefits of gambling are illusory, because the social costs are not worth the revenue. Nevada has the highest crime rates of all the 50 states–again, just as the previous year. Lousiana is second, but not even a very close second. See http://os.cqpress.com/rankings/CrimeStateRankings_2009.pdf - casual observer - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:37 pm: “I learned from the process of killing the Blagojevich gambling proposals that gambling is not a wholesome activity,” This sure sounds like MJM may have gotten some pressure from some unseemly folks when he killed Blago’s gambling expansion. - Capital Bill - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:38 pm: “Nevada has the highest crime rates of all the 50 states–again, just as the previous year” Are you kidding? - Tom Joad - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:41 pm: Looks like everyone thought a gaming bill would actually pass this year. Every year, both in May and in veto session, rumors of a gaming bill surface. Once it surfaces, every group wants a part of the revenue. There are so many parties to appease that the bill has died of its own weight every year. This year, it seems that Madigan is just ending the charade early. Now legislators can cross this “silver bullet” off there list of revenue raisers and get down to the real business of coming up with a revenue plan without this distraction. - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:41 pm: Casual, the key word to the sentence is definitely “wholesome.” Unfortunately, we’re left to interpret that as we will. I, for one, in the interest of transparency and open government, would like to Mr. Madigan amplify on that statement. - casual observer - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 3:58 pm: Word, I think the sentence stands on its own and doesn’t leave much room for interpretation. But now that he’s actually pointed out the gorilla in the room, does it have a name? - A Citizen - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 4:29 pm: Now that the Gam(bl)ing possibility is out of the way it is high time they begin working on the “Fat Tax”. A part of the health care issue. Obesity is becoming truly “Pandemic” to hog a recent avante garde phrase. - Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 4:43 pm: Let’s solve the problem ourselves. The budget hole is around $11 billion There are roughly 13 million people in Illinois, of which 75% (9.75 million) are over 18. The lottery puts 33% of its revenue into the budget. If each of us will buy $3420 worth of Lottery tickets, the budget will be balanced. If we agree to do that for the next 10 or 20 years, we can keep the budget balanced, pay of the pension debt, and maybe pay for a few capital projects. It’s only $66 worth of lottery tickets a week. And you might win a little back! (BTW, that $3420 is above whatever you are already buying.) - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 4:48 pm: Hmmm…what happened to Senate leader John Cullerton’s vow to tie capital to the budget vote? Looks like he lost some leverage, too. - Easy - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 4:54 pm: so i guess that means madigan will not take any money from gaming, right? to do so would make him less than “wholesome” - this old hack - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 4:59 pm: Bill: gaming expansion did not have the votes, again. especially with the idiotic ban on smoking applying to casinos–revenue is down. So expansion wouldn’t have raised much and is probably why it does not have the votes. I know gambling was Blago’s favorite thing (given how he put Chris Kelly in charge of it) but you are going to have to cut yourself loose from the Blago mindset you have been operating under. - tobor - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 5:54 pm: I agree, no more gambling - fed up - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 7:08 pm: He wants Quinn to have to raise taxes or cut programs. MM is just paving the way for little Lisa - chimack - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 7:09 pm: And Meigs Field died because that’s where Daley wanted to build his city owned casino in 2003. - just sayin - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 8:16 pm: Mike Rocks! Too bad he can’t just annex the GOP caucus so Republicans could have a leader they wouldn’t have to be ashamed of. - Nick - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 8:47 pm: If you think democracy is gone with Speaker Madigan - just imagine if Lisa were governor. Why do we have elections??? - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 8:57 pm: Gambling’s a tough one because of the $$ it pumps in, but what I experienced last night on the way home was timely. I was in line at a gas station behind an elderly woman who was using a “walker” that had seen better days. She was obviously on her own, so I could only guess that she was from the nursing home directly across the street. She was obviously a regular based on her chat with the cashier and was cashing in her winning lottery tickets (two scratch-offs) to replace them with more tickets. She then dropped $32 more on tickets from behind the register and then moved toward the scratch off ticket machine near the door where she started to drop even more $$. She looked extremely happy as she sat their scratching off her first ticket and confident about what she was doing. As I got into the car, however, I thought about the money she’d just forked over the State, and said a quick prayer anyway that she’d win some of it back–or if she didn’t win, that she could actually afford to lose. For all I know, she may be sitting on millions already, have it all figured out ala Blair Hull, and may have another a few million to deal with this week thanks to her investment. But just in case, I said a quick prayer for her again today as I drove past the gas station. - ReddSuitCrewsters* - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 9:01 pm: We won’t be clarifying anything, Mr. Wordslinger. We are The Speaker. We have spoken. - Anon3 - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 9:14 pm: just saying- as a downstate Dem I guess I just don’t get all the hate towards Cross, While I may not agree with MJM all the time, I don’t dislike him. Cross has a base that is more white male, downstate, evangelical, and rual What do you all want from him? - wordslinger - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 9:21 pm: Redd, I’m pretty sure I know what he means by “wholesome.” I think it would be enlightening and proper that he expand on his concerns to better inform the citizens. - Deep Water - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 10:26 pm: Rich, please stop by Chicago Clout, we posted some new videos on Chicago Plumber’s Local 130 and the Chicago Department of Water Management. Please enjoy. - Hon. Cranial Lamb - Tuesday, May 5, 09 @ 10:48 pm: This shouldn’t be a surprise to any of the gaming advocates, he threw cold water on it last year too. Too many casinos. Plus Daley doesn’t support the huge expansion either. For all you bashing the Speaker for making this declaration, I give him credit for clearing this off the table now instead of letting Sen. Link toy around with an idea that’s going nowhere all month. - Team America - Wednesday, May 6, 09 @ 6:32 am: Not so fast, Cranial. The Daily Herald is reporting this morning that Terry Link thinks the Senate might be able to get Madigan to change his mind. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=291526&src=109 Let us all know how that works out for you, Senator Link. - The Fox - Wednesday, May 6, 09 @ 7:40 am: The mob stays on top and will continue to enjoy its tax free gambling monopoly. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.