Lake Co. to take up video poker debate

Lake County Board members are gearing up to debate the merits of video gambling in October.

Many commissioners already have their minds set on the issue. Some want to ban video poker and other computerized gambling at bars and other businesses in unincorporated Lake County, even though it recently was legalized by the state to pay for construction projects.

"I believe that video poker and gambling in general is a regressive tax that will hurt the low- and moderate-income residents of the county," said commissioner Collin O'Rourke, a Waukegan Democrat.

Others favor allowing the machines.

"We've been asking for a capital bill for years, and we don't have any more pockets to dig into for money," Grayslake Democrat Melinda Bush said.

Video gambling in bars, clubs and restaurants was legalized under a massive capital-improvement package approved by state lawmakers this summer.

The machines are expected to bring in $367 million annually to help pay for infrastructure projects.

Communities throughout the Chicago area have debated whether to oppose the law and forbid the machines locally.

Village leaders in Gurnee, Mettawa, Lindenhurst and Schaumburg are among those who've brought the matter to boardrooms. Not all have decided what to do.

Officials representing Kildeer, Rosemont, Country Club Hills and DuPage County are among those that have enacted video-gambling bans.

Lake County officials haven't yet set dates for their discussions on the issue. Last week, County Administrator Barry Burton asked the board to first get through the current budget process, which will conclude in November.

But some commissioners want to move on the issue soon.

Lincolnshire Republican Ann Maine favors a ban. She said she's opposed other forms of legalized gambling, too, including a now-dead plan to open a casino in Waukegan.

Like O'Rourke, Maine believes gambling takes money from those who can least afford to lose it.

Additionally, because gambling revenue isn't a steady stream, it can't be relied upon to fund road improvements or other public efforts, she said.

"I think it's just a really bad way to finance government, especially your capital projects," Maine said.

Conversely, Bush worries state officials might hold a ban against the county when it came time to fund projects. If state leaders have to choose between a county that banned gambling and one that allows it, she thinks Lake County might lose.

She also doesn't want the county board to repeat the mistake it made years ago when it didn't approve a gasoline tax to fund road improvements. Other counties did, she said, and now the county doesn't have enough money to fix its much-maligned transportation grid.

"I have a concern that the same thing would happen again," Bush said.