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Lawmakers Unfamiliar with Definition of “Insanity”
Governor and others believe same misguided actions will yield different results
Statement by BGA Chief Investigator Dan Sprehe
CHICAGO - Once again, lawmakers in Chicago and Springfield, looking for a quick fix, are contemplating an extraordinary mistake. The idea has again been proposed to expand gambling in the State of Illinois, including a land-based casino in the City of Chicago. Simply put, gambling expansion of any kind in Illinois is a mistake. A casino in Chicago is a monumental blunder.
How many times do legislative leaders have to play the “more gaming” card before they realize that it never solves the problems at hand? It’s sad but also somewhat comical to see distinguished lawmakers, having experienced numerous budget crises, keep returning to a mythical panacea that has not, does not, and will not solve a long-standing tradition of fiscal mismanagement. Perhaps they are hoping that a Chicago casino will be their winning lottery ticket, which in itself was supposed to have solved all of the state’s education funding problems so long ago.
The public has little reason to trust legislators who opine on the benefits gambling can bring to communities. Time and again, casinos fail to live up to the promises made by those who legislated their creation. Cities with casinos are not flush with cash to spend on better parks or social programs. Casinos do not provide the means to better educate students or strengthen infrastructure. They help lawmakers plug gaping budget holes for a short while, as they rationalize more spending and continue to neglect existing liabilities.
Ironically, while lawmakers in Springfield talk up the merits of gaming in Chicago, witnesses are testifying in Federal Court about the real-life criminal enterprise depicted in the movie “Casino”. They’re giving sworn testimony about the corruption and fraud that have taken place, including both successful and unsuccessful attempts to bribe and curry favor with public officials.
Meanwhile, in another courtroom, a grand jury is likely preparing more indictments relating to endemic hiring fraud in the City of Chicago, which could not manage a $40-million a year trucking program without massive corruption and waste.
Chicago is a world-class city. The mayor and residents brag frequently about how many tourists flock to this city for so many reasons. Those numbers will not increase because of one ill-conceived facility of slots and roulette tables. And in light of the series of scandals that have racked City Hall, it would be absolutely reckless for the General Assembly and Governor Blagojevich to rush through such a controversial license.
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