McHenry County betting on new casinos

McHenry County officials no longer have to worry about keeping a poker face when they talk about gambling expansion plans.

Fed up with the state's worst traffic congestion, according to U.S. News and World Report, McHenry County leaders now say they see gambling proceeds as a feasible route to getting funds to fix the county's roads.

A $25 billion capital improvement plan passed by the state Senate in late September includes funding for several McHenry County road projects, including the Algonquin western bypass and Route 47 improvements, according to state Sen. Pam Althoff.

The spending plan would largely be funded by a proposal now in the state House to expand gambling with at least three new casinos.

McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler said this week that he sees gambling expansion as a "logical form" of revenue enhancement, which he favors over tax increases.

"Gambling is going to take place, whether it happens here or in Indiana," Koehler said. "It's ridiculous to see busloads of people heading out to spend money at casinos in other states."

The gambling proposal was the one of the subjects of Wednesday's shouting match between House Speaker Michael Madigan and state Sen. Rickey Hendon.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Hendon and other legislative leaders blame Madigan for holding out on the bill. Madigan has been lukewarm on new casinos, recently calling gambling a social evil that ruins families.

Algonquin Village President John Schmitt disagreed with Madigan.

"I don't have a problem. People gamble," Schmitt said. "And if that creates a source of revenue that can be used by the state to build the infrastructure that will build other needed revenue requirements … I can't argue with that."

Schmitt wants McHenry County's jammed roads to be the first domino to fall.

"The state has many areas that need funding desperately, but transportation is one of the most important because all of the other funding requirements can be fed as a result of increased transportation capability, which generates business, which generates tax dollars, which can then fund other things."

In his 14 years on the village board, Schmitt said, transportation and road funding have always been a major component of the village's goals.

The Algonquin western bypass, a project that would relieve congestion by moving Route 31 out of downtown Algonquin and constructing an interchange between Route 31 and Algonquin Road, has ballooned in cost from about $45 million in 1999 to more than $67 million today, not including a northern extension, officials said.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Congressman Don Manzullo have together secured $19 million in federal road money for the project. That funding, however, awaits a state match.

"Durbin and Manzullo have really stuck their necks out to get funding for our project, " Schmitt said. "And Durbin knows he has nothing to gain. He's not going to get a majority of votes from McHenry County."

Right now, Schmitt said, all he sees in Springfield is "people stomping their feet," he said.

Echoing Schmitt's thoughts is his neighbor to the east, Lake in the Hills Village President Ed Plaza.

Plaza also favors gambling expansion providing some long-awaited road funds.

"We've waited more than 10 years with regards to the bypass. Frustration -- I'm beyond that," he said.