ILLINOIS SENATE PUTS THE BRAKES ON EXPANDED GAMBLING
29 May 2009
But it was a close vote, and the bill is not
dead yet
The Illinois Senate rejected gambling expansion as the
week ended that would have put casinos in Park City,
Rockford and Chicago, reports the Chicago Tribune.
The expansion would have also allowed slot machines
at Illinois racetracks and let the riverboats move
inland and become land-based casinos.
But the
rejection was a close-run thing at 28 for and 28
against, and because approval requires 30 votes in the
59 seat Senate it did not pass. However, sponsor Terry
Link preserved his proposal for a possible second vote
by using a procedural technicality to wipe out the roll
call.
Link said the added gambling would generate
nearly $100 million in the first year for the state and
$500 million annually once established.
Senate
President John Cullerton, a strong sponsor too, tried to
persuade fellow Senators to support the bill. "In a year
like this when we need money and no one wants to vote
for a tax increase, everybody says, 'what about gaming?"
he said. "We need to consider this as an alternative."
Critics said it was simply too much gambling to
stomach the day after lawmakers sent a video gambling at
bars plan to the governor to help finance road
construction.
State Senator Kirk Dillard said
the expanded gambling proposal would have made Illinois
a bigger gambling state than Nevada or New Jersey, and
he was joined by Chicago Senator James Meeks who
protested: "It is too much! It is time to stop. We are
allowing our state to go down the tube. Video poker.
Gaming. Enough is enough!"
Online Casino News Courtesy of
Infopowa
More news here.
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