St. Charles legalizes video gambling, with an asterisk
The final vote to legalize video gambling in St. Charles Monday night came packaged with red faces, threats and emotional speeches.
Having heard community input on the topic ever since it was revived in July, aldermen and Mayor Ray Rogina moved directly to action, reserving public comment for after the vote.
That vote came with a late twist.
In light of a Daily Herald report documenting an ongoing state budget impasse fueling the absence of any video gambling money flowing back to the communities hosting the machines, aldermen offered an amendment to the legalization plan.
The amendment, put forward by Aldermen Dan Stellato and Todd Bancroft, links the timing of the city's video gambling legalization to the state budget and distribution of local gambling proceeds.
As long as there is no state budget, video gambling will remain illegal in St. Charles. Any state budget that alters the percentage of video gambling owed to municipalities would also prevent the machines from going live in the city.
"The impetus for this has been about us collecting revenue," Stellato explained. "We want to make sure we're not in a situation where we're not receiving any money."
Aldermen tied 5-5 on the amendment. Mayor Ray Rogina cast a tiebreaker in favor of new plan.
The city council then moved to the final vote to legalize. Again, it was a 5-5 split with Rogina breaking the tie in favor of legalization.
Public comment that followed the vote was unanimously against video gambling. Resident Robert Brown called out individual aldermen by name, along with the mayor, in promising accountability for the vote during the next elections.
"Gambling, like prostitution and booze, are all weaknesses," Brown said. "I just don't want to give anybody an easy way of exercising what I see as a significant weakness. We will work very hard to make certain that we have a new mayor and new aldermen for those of you who voted for this.
"We want to be the Pride of the Fox. We don't want to be video gamblers."
Rogina responded to similar comments by saying he is no way concerned with his personal legacy.
"People being voted out of office is the American way," Rogina said.
Likewise, Rogina pointed to other tough decisions that, although emotional at the time, have not harmed the image of the city. Those decisions include allowing a homeless shelter downtown, the construction of the Red Gate Bridge, and even the redevelopment of the old Applied Composites site, which he voted against.
"I have been blunt in my response that this town's image cannot be tarnished," Rogina said. "Make no mistake: We have flaws, but we always work to improve. Most importantly, evidence supports our town's ability to react positively to controversial subjects. Video gaming will be divisive only if people, through words and actions, allow it to be divisive."