SB 737 was amended in committee and passed in the Senate during the Veto Session. Sen. Terry Link, the sponsor of SB 737, told the Republicans who complained about inaction on the budget and employment that this bill would deal with both of those issues by generating a billion dollars a year in new state revenues and creating thousands of new jobs, according to Capitol Fax.
Adding 11 more casinos will not help horse racing, nor will it solve the budget and cash flow problems in the State of Illinois. It has taken over 10 years to approve and build the 10th casino license, which is scheduled to open in 2011. Remember the flawed legislation that quickly passed last year to legalize Video Gambling Act and Internet Lottery? These forms of gambling are not yet operational, with 75 communities and 4 counties “opting out” of video gambling.
Take ACTION:
1. Send a note or Christmas card to thank your Senator who voted NO on the massive expansion of gambling. (Click on the names below for contact information.)
2. Gov. Quinn told reporters he opposed “top-heavy” gaming legislation. Contact the governor to OPPOSE SB 737, a massive expansion of gambling. (Call 800-642-3112 or 312-814-2121 or e-mail by clicking HERE.)
3. Contact your State Representative in their District office Before January 3 to ask him/her to Vote NO on SB 737. (See Talking Points below.)
4. Share this Alert with your faith community and PRAY.
5. Forward to 10 others.
Pamela J. Althoff
Tim Bivins
J. Bradley Burzynski
James F. Clayborne, Jr.
Jacqueline Y. Collins
Gary G. Dahl
Dan Duffy
Linda Holmes
Dan Kotowski
Chris Lauzen
David Luechtefeld
James T. Meeks
John J. Millner
Matt Murphy
Michael Noland
Christine Radogno
Dale A. Righter
Dan Rutherford
Ronald Sandack
A. J. Wilhelmi
Roll Call: Click HERE.
Talking Points for Letter to the Editor and calls Gov. Quinn and State Representatives
SB 737 is a massive expansion of gambling that includes:
- A City owned land-casino in Chicago with 4,000 gambling positions.
- Legalizes 4 additional casinos–Rockford, Danville, Park City, and South Suburbs.
- Transforms 6 racetracks into land-based casinos with slots/video gambling.
- Creates the Chicago Casino Development Authority with the ability to use eminent domain, finance public bonds, exempt from real estate taxes, and less control from the Gaming Board.
- Pre-empts Home Rule in Arlington Heights and Chicago.
- Requires one Illinois Gaming Board member to have 5 years of casino management experience.
- Racetracks in Cook County could relocate up to 3 miles to build electronic gambling facility.
Contact your state lawmakers today. Please tell them “NO MORE GAMBLING — PERIOD.”
