Citizens held hostage by gangster politics

Illinois' governor and legislature have decided to continue the political one-upmanship by playing their gangster-like hostage holding of the budget.

Our venture capitalist governor and legislative leaders are playing blink-blink with the lives of the citizens of Illinois without regard to the consequences of their actions. For the past few months, the state has been unwilling to pay lottery winners - who against heavy odds, and with nontax money, gamble their hard-earned money for a chance at the "big win" that will change their lives. Really?!

Let me see if I understand this correctly. The governor and legislative leadership are willing to slow or stop a nontax revenue stream all for the sake of seeing who will blink first in their budget fisticuffs?

It is my understanding that the Illinois Lottery maintains the funds to pay those lucky few who gamble and win. In other words, winnings don't have to be appropriated? And advertising those few who win leads to potential increased revenue (which helps educational costs in the state).

So this would appear to be not only budget neutral, but additional monies for the state that don't require a tax hike. Can you get any dumber than this? I think this is called "shooting yourself in the foot.")

So, who we kidding, governor? As a venture capitalist, you should be ashamed of not signing off on resolutions which would allow for the payment to people who gamble their own money to enhance the state's bottom line. As a lifelong resident of the state, this intractable position stinks of "gangsta" politics.

Sooner or later we'll hire people who actually care about the people they are hired to represent.

Robert K. Clark

Wheeling