The regular session of the Illinois General Assembly ended at midnight on May 31st. When that deadline passed, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) called for a Special Session of the Illinois House in order to finish what they started–namely the expansion of immorality, exploitation of citizens with new fees and taxes, and irresponsible spending of state government. They finished “business” on Sunday.

Gambling Expansion

As I reported late last week, in addition to the horrific anti-family legislation being approved in the closing days of the 2019 session, our state lawmakers in true bipartisan fashion, gave their approval to a huge gambling expansion that not only legalizes sports betting but increases the number of casinos in the state by six, including one in Chicago. This will mean that Illinois will have 16 casinos in total.

With this legislation, they also expanded the number of slot machines and table games at casinos, places slot machines at Chicago’s two airports, and allows for additional slot machines in truck stops throughout the state. Slot machines are often referred to as the “crack cocaine of gambling,” because they are highly addictive.

We are disappointed to report that on Saturday, the Illinois House approved this legislation (SB 690) by a vote of 87-27. On Sunday, the Illinois Senate concurred with a vote of 46-10 with two voting present. Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign it into law this summer. Our political “leaders” who voted for this evidently believe they can exploit “gaming” to drain more revenue from the residents they were elected to serve.

To expand gambling, our state lawmakers had to completely ignore the 1999 U.S. Gambling Commission which recommended a moratorium on the expansion of any type of gambling anywhere in the United States, as well as the re-criminalization of slot machines/electronic gambling machines (EGMs) convenient to the public. The Gambling Commission’s conclusions have been reconfirmed in the multi-volume 2009-12 U.S. International Gambling Report, produced in large part by the University of Illinois and in concert with colleagues at other academic institutions.

Evidently, our political leaders want Illinois to become the Nevada of the Midwest.

Gasoline Tax Increase

The revenue generated by expanding gambling in Illinois is insufficient for the spendthrift politicians in Springfield. Since the snare of gambling will not satisfy their insatiable appetite for public money, they turned to other ways to squeeze the hardworking families of Illinois by doubling our state’s motor fuel tax from 19 cents to 38 cents per-gallon, and by raising vehicle registration fees from $101 to $151 for most vehicles.

We are shocked to report that on Saturday that this legislation (SB 1939) was passed in the Illinois House with the help of 20 Republicans by a vote of 83-29 with one voting present. On Sunday, the Illinois Senate concurred with a vote of 48-9 with one voting present. Eleven of the 19 Republicans in the Illinois Senate voted for these tax increases. Come July 1st, we can thank them for the dubious distinction of Illinois having the second highest gas tax rate in the nation.

But it gets worse. According to an article by the Illinois Policy Institute,

The state motor fuel tax will also be tied to inflation, meaning it will automatically rise in future years without lawmaker approval. The hike will cost the typical driver around $100 more in its first year.

This means that Illinois drivers will have a perpetual tax increase facing us potentially every year.

UGH! Again

Lawmakers in Springfield refuse to live within the means of our current cash flow and refuse to cut the size of government. Instead they irresponsibly turn to tax increases and expansion of gambling again and again. Just how much is enough? Well, the AP reports that the bipartisan state budget agreement borrows more than $1 billion in order to pay down a a mere 14 percent of our “lingering, $7 billion pile of past-due bills” in order “to save money on interest payments.”

“Irresponsible” doesn’t begin to describe it.

Illinois State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) rightly points out, “If we ran state government more efficiently, we wouldn’t need all these fee and tax increases.”

Increasing taxes, like expanding gambling, is counter-productive. It will adversely affect Illinois’ economy, hurt businesses and cause them to relocate out of state, and will ultimately increase the already high tax burden on families that remain in Illinois. These proposals are decidedly anti-family.

Illinois taxpayers should not continue to tolerate wasteful, bloated government. They just don’t get it. We do not have a tax problem. We have a spending problem! But this truth is not reflected in the $40 billion budget (SB 262) that the Illinois House approved on Friday by a vote of 83-35 and that the Illinois Senate concurred with on Saturday by a vote of 40-19.

Oh, by the way, state lawmakers gave themselves a pay raise of $1600 a year for all their work spending our hard-earned money.

Read more:

2019 Session Recap and Perspective (Illinois Family Institute)

What the Gov Had to Say About the 101st Session’s “Progress” (Illinois Review)

Illinois pols sneak teacher-salary-spiking boost into 2020 budget (Wirepoints)

Illinois State Lawmakers Introduce, Pass $85 Billion in Spending in 12 Hours (Illinois Policy Institute)

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The Illinois State Senate Gaming Committee recently heard testimony on SB 7, the massive gambling expansion bill.  Thank you to those who signed witness slips.  There were 35 opponents and 4 proponents.

There were many questions from members of the committee asking sponsor Illinois Sen. Terry Link (D-Gurnee) to make changes to the bill.  The Senate moved SB 7 to third reading so it can be called for a vote at anytime now.

Illinois Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) filed Senate Amendment 2 to SB 7 to include slot machines at Chicago airports for passengers who at least 21 years of age and members of a private club.

The General Assembly adjourned and won’t be back in session again until Feb. 7th for the Illinois Senate and Feb. 8th for the Illinois House.  Illinois Senate minority leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) told state senators not to be swayed by their constituents if they are against passing the “grand bargain” budget bills.  Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) told state senators to be prepared to vote on the bills when they come back in February.

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to send a message to our Illinois state lawmakers about this massive expansion proposal.  Gambling is an unstable source of revenue.  SB 7 will lead to more addiction, financial ruin, broken families, increased costs for the state, and will not solve the budget problem.

Please share this alert with your faith community and ask them to CALL and PRAY.

Talking points to oppose SB 7

• SB 7 is a massive expansion of gambling that doubles the amount of casinos in Illinois – City of Chicago, Rockford, Danville, Lake County, south suburbs of Chicago, Williamson County, and 4 casinos at racetracks.  “More casinos will not mean substantially more tax revenue.”  (Forbes, 11/20/2015)

• SB 7 legalizes a city-owned casino for Chicago with a perpetual license that cannot be revoked or suspended.  No other city in the United States owns a casino.

•  SB 7 lowers the tax rate on casino gambling.  Currently casinos pay a graduated tax of 15 to 50 percent on Adjusted Gross Receipts.  SB 7 lowers the tax to 10% and has separate categories for electronic gambling devices (EGD) and table games.  Table games are taxed a maximum of 16% for adjusted gross receipts in excess of $70 million, and EGDs have a maximum of 50% in excess of $800 million.  NOTE:  Only Rivers Casino would qualify for the maximum tax on table games, and no casinos meets the maximum tax rate for slot machines.

• SB 7 rushes the approval process.  The Illinois Gaming Board shall issue the 6 casino gambling licenses within 12 months after the date the license application is submitted. The Board shall determine within 120 days after receiving an application whether to grant an electronic gaming license to a racetrack.  With the massive expansion and increased responsibilities and duties of the Gaming Board, this is irresponsible.  The public expects strict regulation and enforcement of gambling laws. Organized crime is a possibility if the process is rushed.  NOTE:  Rivers Casino was fined $1.65 million in 2016 for hiring United Services Co. for security and cleaning work at the casino.  United is run by Richard Simon, who has admitted business and personal ties to reputed mob figures.

• Gambling interests overestimate the amount of revenue generated.  When the Video Gambling Act was passed in 2009, the estimate of State revenue was $288 – $534 Million per year.  In  2016-4 years after the gambling machines were operational-the State received $277 million from 24,841 machines. Revenue projected in SB 7 could be much lower than expected, especially in communities with video gambling.

• Independent studies have found that 35 – 50 percent of the casino gambling revenues come from problem and pathological gamblers, according to “Why Casinos Matter“.  Doubling the number of casinos and increasing the number of gambling positions will make gambling even more accessible and lead to an increase in problem and pathological gambling.  There are currently 12,383 people on the self-exclusion list at Illinois casinos.  With a cost of $13,067 per pathological gambler per year, the cost to the State is over $161.8 million per year.

• Broken families, financial ruin, and crime will increase with the expansion of casino gambling.  The costs to the state are at least $3 for every $1 of revenue for regulation, criminal justice, and social costs.  These costs are not even considered when projecting the revenue for the State.

For more information about gambling or other addictive problems, please visit Illinois Church Action on Alcohol & Addiction Problems.

The Veto Session is November 27-29, December 4-6, and possibly January 2-9, 2013.  Governor Patrick Quinn (D-Chicago) told the Associated Press he believes a compromise on gambling is in the offing.  State Representative Lou Lang (D-Skokie), sponsor of the massive gambling expansion bill (SB 1849) said House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) has orchestrated discussions designed to lead to a deal.  

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, an override would have to start in the Illinois Senate, where SB 1849 received the minimum number of votes (30) for passage.  Sponsors of the massive gambling expansion bill (SB 1849) are counting votes for a potential override of the bill, or they may try to introduce a new bill.    

One of the arguments used to expand gambling is that slots at the tracks will help agriculture. Horse racing revenue declined when casino gambling was legalized in Illinois.  Legalizing more slot machines at 6 racetracks and 5 new casinos will not increase betting on horses.  SB 1849 includes a provision whereby the number of live racing days may be decreased without affecting the tracks ability to conduct video and slot machines gambling. 

Iowa allowed dog tracks to operate casinos only on the condition that casino profits would subsidize dog racing, even though wagering on races has dwindled and crowds are sparse.  Casino owners have tried to change the law to eliminate the races and pay a set fee to the State.  Live racing is costly.  

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to send an email to Gov. Quinn, your state senator and state representative asking them to uphold the veto of SB 1849. Then please follow up with a phone call to the Governor’s office to leave the same message, “No More Gambling!”     (Phone:  312-814-2121, 217-782-6830, or 800-642-3112.)