[Posted by Mike Murray]
* Local Opt-Outs Cut Into Illinois Gaming Expansion
The county[DuPage] –Illinois’ second largest with a population approaching nearly 1m people – follows the Chicago suburb of Rosemont in choosing to opt out of the gambling expansion that analysts had originally predicted would create demand for up to 45,000 new gaming machines in the state. Other areas of Illinois, including Will and Peoria counties, are also discussing a possible ban, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Governor Quinn’s ‘Jobs Now!’ package allows up to five electronic gambling machines - a term awaiting further determination by the Illinois Gaming Board - in each of the 14,000 venues in Illinois licensed to sell liquor. However, section 27 of the act allows local municipalities and county boards to pass ordinances to bar the machines from being installed within their local areas.
Section 70 of the Video Gaming Act further allows local governments to hold referenda to ban video gambling based on popular consensus, while the law automatically precludes the machines from being installed in any bar or restaurant within 1,000 feet of schools or churches, or pre-existing gambling facilities such as licensed racetracks and the docking area of Illinois’ riverboat casinos.
Analyst and industry estimates of how many machines would eventually be rolled out under the Illinois machine program have varied from 20-25,000 machines up to a possible maximum of 50,000, but that figure was always contingent on how many local governments would choose to opt out from the scheme.
-2 bans count as a trend to me. Especially since Peoria, Will and Cook Counties are also considering bans in their unincorporated areas. But Quinn is OK with this I guess…
* DuPage County bans video gambling in certain areas
Local governments across the Chicago area have been lining up to bar video gambling from their establishments, potentially dealing a blow to Gov. Pat Quinn’s capital plan to pay for new mass transit, roads and schools.
The DuPage County Board on Tuesday became the first county in the state to ban video gambling within its unincorporated areas. Rosemont and Country Club Hills have instituted bans, and opposition is building in New Lenox and Frankfort. Will and Cook Counties are also poised to consider bans.[…]
Quinn said he isn’t worried that an anti-gambling movement could put a dent in the state’s $31 billion capital budget, which was signed into law last month and depends, in part, on revenue from newly legalized video gambling. Quinn said there are other revenue streams to help pay for the construction program, such as increased drivers’ fees and taxes on beauty products, candy and alcohol.
“We have financing from other sources of money for the capital bill, and it’s going to take a little while to get everything going on the video gaming to begin with, and so if some communities choose not to have it, it’s OK by me,” Quinn said.
* Quinn OK with Gambling Response
A growing number of Illinois communities are saying “no” to video gambling, and Governor Pat Quinn says that’s fine with him.
Quinn says video poker will pay for about 25-percent of the billion dollars the state must pay towards 30-billion dollars in statewide construction. But he doubts enough communities will ban the machines to make a dent in the expected earnings.
DuPage County voted to ban the machine this week. Officials in Peoria and Will counties are considering the same.
-Well I must admit that I am a little more worried then the Governor. I would rather not have any threat to the decade overdue capital bill, but it’s not like Quinn has had a problem getting funding measures in place in the past. LOLOL.
-So I have to protest editorials like the one in today’s Sun Times…
* DuPage has right idea with video poker ban
Populism is a funny thing. It can undermine even the idea of a populist like Gov. Quinn.
That’s what we see happening to the Quinn-supported idea of introducing video poker to towns and cities across the state to help pay for the state infrastructure bill.
As we’ve said before on this page, video poker is a terrible idea.
It puts a mini-casino at every corner tavern.
News flash, they are not at every corner, but they are already all over the place. That is a poor reason to sink the capital bill. The Sun Times then goes on to praise efforts to pass a ban in Cook County.
A similar measure to ban video poker will be put before the Cook County Board in early September, thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Bridget Gainer and her four female board colleagues.
It’s a no-brainer.
Here’s hoping the Cook County Board gets on board the Populist Express.
- Well it may be a no-brainier for the Sun Times, but I think Mayor Daley has a thing or two to say on that proposal’s future in Cook County. I would bet against a ban in Cook County, but I would not bet on slot machines. HA!
They are for suckers, but if they get this state much needed infrastructure investment and jobs then I say let grandma play the penny slots….
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 10:28 am:
I’m getting the feeling we’re not going to see an expansion of gambling, just the state getting a share of what’s being wagered illegally now.
Will that be enough to cover the 25% share of bond coverage. That’s not a small number.
In my regular, unscientific, but pleasurable research at watering holes downtown and in the west burbs, not a single bar owner is planning on putting in the machines.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 10:37 am:
not a single bar owner is planning on putting in the machines.
Banning the machines in unincorporated DuPage, Will or Peoria reduces the potential market in those counties by, what, 5 or 10%? If the big towns like Joliet and Naperville ban ‘em, and their satellite villages ban ‘em too, it’s likely to have a much bigger impact.
Question- did any of the capital bill financial projections figure in a certain amount or percentage of “opt-out” communities?
Maybe the lack of video poker outlets in the suburbs will be offset by the state revenue collected in gambling meccas like La Salle County:-)
- Anon - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 10:37 am:
The video poker ban in DuPage affects only 30 bars….a video poker ban in Cook affects 80…County bans do absolutely nothing…it’s the municipalities that matter.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 10:44 am:
They should be put in O’Hare and Midway — let out of towners while away the hours waiting to get on their planes.
I guess it’s just a matter of which Daley pals get the machines.
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 10:50 am:
I am on the side of good and competent policy people and public administrators, such as sherrif tom dart, and I oppose the gambling machines etc.
Granted there is probably no way to fully measure the negative impact that this will have on communities. But you can be sure that it will create more of a need for social services (e.g., more public aid caseloads etc.)
I believe Tom Dart when he told John Callaway that his office gets many calls from women whose husbands have blown entire paychecks on gambling, which means that the family cannot get fed and the house or car notes cannot get paid.
I really wish more lawmkers would think about the long-term and broader impact of their legislative actions.
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 11:48 am:
Hope the towns that keep the legal video poker get the “extra” machines and the state devises a way to not fund any non road projects in the opt out areas.
BTW….The counties don’t really have many licenses any way.
- Adam Smith - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 12:38 pm:
News flash for you Mike, only 32% of the capital bill’s PROJECTED funding comes from video poker. The estimates are likely way high to begin with. With zero dollars from video poker, the capital bill is still about $21 BILLION–the biggest capital bill in state history.
Yes, it is badly needed, and the local officials are the ones who know better than anyone how much they need road and infrastructure money, but they also know how bad a job the legislature did in crafting this. No real examination of costs and consequences. The locals know that the hassles outweigh the benefits they get.
You are way over the top to claim that this would “sink the capital bill.” That is plain untrue. 66% of the funding comes from various taxes and fees that are untouched.
These locals, Repubs and Dems, conservative and liberal, city and suburban all know bad public policy when they see it.
- fed up - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 1:52 pm:
These locals, Repubs and Dems, conservative and liberal, city and suburban all know bad public policy when they see it.
I just wish that were true. Putting video poke in bars isnt a great idea, open up about 5 more casinos put 2 in Chicago and put video poker slots in the airports, that will raise alot more money than the machines in bars.
In 6 months we will be dealing with another huge shortfall in revenue so we will be hearing the same BS all over again. Quinn Madigan and Cullerton have shown no leadership and the GOP is no longer a entity that matters in Ill. politics.
- Cassandra - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 2:57 pm:
I wonder which company or companies will be making those video poker machines and making zillions in the process. And their campaign contributions went to……?
- Meterman - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 3:29 pm:
Any community that iopts out of the mechanuism to pay for the Capitol Bill should aslo lose any projects slated for their area. The last thing we need is downstate gamablers paying for new roads in the Suburbs.
- Doug Dobmeyer - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 4:17 pm:
Much ado about nothing. The bigger issue is what the state, which Pat sorta controls does and when - think what Aaron Jaffee says about the state’s capacity to regulate these machines.
It may be many months before the state is even able to write regs for these great money makers. And many more months before they could be placed.
In the meantime the opponents thrash around making lots of noise that will result in several unimportant areas banning vid poker machines. Instead they should be raising money to fight this gambling with lawyers, organizers and such. Unfortunately its worse than David vs the big guy its 16th Century vs 21st Century. Many opponents still think you have to be died in the wool conservative to be opposed - oh how foolish.
I’m out of the efforts to keep a gambling hall out of Chicago - let the fools follow Daley and his tribe if they want. People in this city seem to prefer this monarchy over exerting any real political power,
Doug Dobmeyer
- ToughGuy - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 6:14 pm:
Will and Peoria counties already have river boats in their areas. Why would they want to tick them off by competing against them? I live in a medium size downstate size and we are all for it as nearly every bar currently has some type of video gambling machines (illegal). At least the locals will get some revenue and it will have some type of control as there is none now.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 9:33 pm:
While Quinn dawdles along with a 100% lame-duck Gaming Board, the 60-day clock to write the poker rules ticks along and more, not less, locals will have second thoughts about making those little darlings legal “in muh town.” Those of you who have confidence in the financial projections on this capital program should FOIA GUMBY and read ‘em for yourselves.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Aug 13, 09 @ 11:20 pm:
If the Sun Times thinks the new legislation is going to “introduce” video poker to Illinois, they need to get their head out of their a__. Do they have any reporters left? If so, they should come up with cab fare and actually send one out to take a look.
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 14, 09 @ 9:22 am:
As always, AA and Schnorf bring the light.
Is there a POS on the capitol bill bonds? The devil is in the details, and I get a feeling we’re going to end up with something quite different than what was bought into earlier this year.