Who won, and who lost, in Springfield?

SPRINGFIELD — Across the suburbs, residents are debating the wisdom of raising the Illinois income tax to keep the state from the brink of bankruptcy, but a bundle of other budget-related ideas were on lawmakers' plates as well.

The Legislature's action and lack of it leaves a trail of winners and losers in the West and Northwest suburbs, from Elgin and Des Plaines officials happy not to have more casino competition to Arlington Park and Lake County on the other side of that debate. Smokers, taxpayers and social service agencies also are on the list of winners and losers.

“Legislation is a lot like making a pot of chili,” said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

You put in a bunch of ingredients that some people like and some people don't. Then it simmers for a while before you eat it — or vote on it, Yepsen said.

The recipe included the 66 percent tax increase, along with the gambling expansion plan, billions in borrowing to pay off unpaid state bills, a cigarette tax and more — some of which passed and some of which did not or never saw the light of day for votes.

Here's a look at some of suburban interest that won and lost based on the actions of the last General Assembly, which closed up shop early Wednesday by sending the tax hike to Gov. Pat Quinn.

Elgin, Des Plaines

Winners: When a plan to expand gambling in Illinois died, so did worries of Elgin and Des Plaines leaders.

They worried slot machines at nearby Arlington Park and a casino in Lake County would have further eroded the Grand Victoria Casino's declining revenue and the under-construction Des Plaines casino's early numbers.

But after months of debate, the plan never got a vote in the state House. It would have allowed for five new casinos, as well as slot machines at every horse track in Illinois.

“We're pretty pleased with that,” Elgin Mayor Ed Schock said. “It was just too big.”

Lake County, Arlington Park

Losers: Arlington Park officials wanted slot machines at the Arlington Heights track because declines in the Illinois horse racing industry have hurt its bottom line and the purses it offers to winners. And Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat, has been pushing for a Lake County casino since before he took office more that a dozen years ago.

Those hopes died with the gambling expansion plan, for now. Link says he'll try again soon.

Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder said she's worried.

“I'm very concerned about maintaining the viability of our track,” she said after bill died. “It's (been) such a part of Arlington Heights since 1927.”

Social service providers, hospitals

Potential winners: Agencies that help the poor, disabled and elderly and depend on the state for money got good news when lawmakers raised the income tax rate.

They're not quite in the winner's circle yet, because the state can't pay its backlog of unpaid bills immediately.

Still, groups like Life Span, a Des Plaines-based agency that helps domestic violence victims, could be on their way back to financial solvency.

“This will have a huge positive effect on people's morale,” says Denice Wolf Markham, executive director. “We can move our work forward instead of waiting to see what is happening.”

Taxpayers

Losers: Most Illinoisans will have to send 2 percent more of their salaries to the state because of the 66 percent income tax rate increase signed by Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday. Lawmakers approved the change in the hours before their terms ended.

And businesses will pay more as well. The corporate tax increased from 4.8 percent to 7 percent.

Opponents say this may prompt Illinois companies to stop hiring that may have been coming as the economy improves. Or, they could even leave the state, critics say.

GOP, Democrats

Winners and losers: Top Democrats at the Capitol, including Quinn, win because they won approval for the tax increase they proposed. They also lose, though, because they'll take the criticism for higher taxes from cash-strapped voters.

Yepsen said Democrats' pain at the polls might not be that severe in two years, though, if the economy recovers.

“That's a lot of time for people to forget, for issues to change,” he said.

Republicans lose because their small numbers among lawmakers mean they couldn't stop the tax hike from happening despite their vehement efforts. They might win politically, though, if they can convince voters to punish Democrats for higher taxes.

Smokers

Winners: Smokers were close to having to pay about $1 more for a pack of cigarettes. But a House vote to raise taxes on cigarettes failed.

So smokers were spared an increase that would have more than doubled the state's share of taxes on cigarettes, which is now 98 cents.