Hopefuls trade blame on video gambling
The two candidates for the state 22nd Senate District seat took turns blaming each other's parties for video gambling being part of a construction bill that local leaders fear will bring them no money in the end.
Democratic State Sen. Mike Noland of Elgin on Monday said the state construction bill that relies in part on legalizing video gambling payouts exists because of Republicans, and it's Republicans who are threatening communities that ban video gambling with fines to make up for the loss in gambling revenue.
"Video gambling is the only option that enough Republicans would agree to in passing a capital bill," Noland said. "Now it's largely Republicans who are trying to create a roadblock. They don't want to see a lot of ribbon cuttings before the elections. They know that the capital bill will put a lot of people back to work."
The GOP opponent for Noland's Senate seat in November, Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin, said Noland would be better off spending less time racing to cut ribbons on pork projects and more time finding money for the general fund to address the state's deficit.
"Blaming this on the Republicans is kind of like blaming it on witchcraft or voodoo," Rauschenberger said. "When do Democrats look in the mirror and take responsibility for the circumstances they're facing?"
State lawmakers last year legalized payouts from video gambling machines frequently found in bars, on the suspicion some bartenders have paid out under the table on such devices. The state wants in on the action by regulating, licensing and taxing the games to help finance billions in state construction spending.
But more than 70 communities have taken advantage of the option to ban video gambling. New legislation has emerged that would penalize communities with video gambling bans by forcing them to pay the state the income the machines would have generated.
Democrats at the Truman Dinner fundraiser Sunday in Aurora were pushing to save state funding for local construction, if not the video gambling that would help pay for it.
Noland said he realizes video gambling isn't the "most desirable means" of funding the capital bill. He says he won't backtrack on his support for communities having the ability to opt out of video gambling, but he also has no plans of reversing his support for video gambling as a funding mechanism.
He said he hasn't decided how he'll vote on the new bills that would penalize communities with bans.
"I don't think those that opt out are going to measurably impact the bonding, but perception is everything," Noland said. "That's why those who stand in the way of this have so much leverage."
Rauschenberger said video gambling is an untested, unstable and, therefore, irresponsible funding mechanism for the capital bill. Democrats are in control and should own up to the flaws in video gambling income that local communities are increasingly finding, he said.
Kane County recently discussed its video gambling ban again, even though the possibility of a new vote hasn't moved out of committee.
The discussion was, in part, fueled by estimates of the benefits of the capital bill by organizations such as Back to Work Illinois. The group's membership lists several chambers of commerce and a host of unions that all believe the bill is crucial to job growth and to repair statewide infrastructure.
The group has enlisted Brad Hahn of Burnham Strategies to lobby on its behalf in Kane County. Hahn and Burnham Strategies were recently on the county's payroll to help spread the word about the county health department's H1N1 public information campaign.
Hahn said all county projects, whether in unincorporated areas overseen by the county or not, will employ local residents and have a positive impact on the economy. The group lists about $61.6 million in capital bill projects for the Kane County area.