Preparing the Way for Mike Tryon and Pam Althoff to Vote for More Casinos

I see that the Daily Herald’s Kerry Lester has written an article about leaders in McHenry County wanting more money for roads.

And that they don’t really care where it comes from.

Lester points out that U.S. News and World Report said that McHenry County has the worst traffic congestion in Illinois.

Build houses without building roads and that’ll happen to you.

Here’s what McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler told the Daily Herald:

“ …he sees gambling expansion as a ‘logical form’ of revenue enhancement, which he favors over tax increases.

“’Gambling is going to take place, whether it happens here or in Indiana. It’s ridiculous to see busloads of people heading out to spend money at casinos in other states.’”

Algonquin Village President John Schmidt agreed with Koehler, yet I haven’t seen any indication that the jackpot would include money to build the Bowles Road bridge as a free bridge, rather than a toll bridge.

The article says Lake in the Hills Village President Ed Plaza agrees that casinos are the way to go.

Their support certainly prepares the way for State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) and State Senator Pam Althoff (R-McHenry) to vote for more casinos and slot machines at race tracks.

No doubt about that.

Maybe we should go back to the days when the mob has slot machines in most of the bars and fraternal clubs. Maybe the McHenry County Board could figure out how to tax it.

And, what about prostitution?

I vividly remember Mrs. Martinetti coming into the bar while we Crystal Lake Jaycees were having some drinks after a meeting.

She saw some young women. She ordered them back to the motel next door.

“I told you to stay over there,” she said quite forcefully.

When I was county treasurer during the last four years of the 1960’s, I was told how Sheriff Ed Dowd raided the bars in Algonquin and seized the slot machines.

They were full of coins when they were taken to Woodstock.

When they were destroyed, they were empty.

Anyone want to bet that the money didn’t end up in the county treasury?

After all this is the county sheriff who had his checks mailed to Texas during the latter part of his term.

House Speaker Mike Madigan takes a position I share.

It is that gambling destroys too many families.

I suspect Madigan will cave on the casino bill, because casino taxes sound like free money to weak-kneed legislators…until another McHenry County deputy sheriff steals from the evidence room to support his gambling habit.

Just an example that comes to mind, because it has happened.

Such thefts are just as likely to occur in any sort of establishments.

Tomorrow: a little “I told you so.”


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