“Growth of Slot Machines ‘Unimaginable'”

That’s the message of my former colleague State Representstive Don Moffitt of Galesburg in the Register-Mail.

Moffitt voted for the massive expansion of gambling in 2009, but seems to be having second thoughts, as you can see below:

“I ended up voting for the video gambling — because of the revenue possibilities for cities and towns all over Illinois.

“But this kind of availability, all across the state, this was something I did not anticipate.”

I am not surprised at all.

In the interview by reporter Tom Loewy, it is revealed 32,000 person Galesburg has 150 slot machines on which local residnets lost $7.3 million.

A typical gas station in South Dakota.

A trip to the Black Hills showed what would happen if slot machines (benignly called “video poker” machines in the legislative run-up in Illinois) were legalized.

Virtually every gas station had a “casino” sign.

At a McDonald’s, we saw a pitch for slots at the door between the restaruant and an adjacent mini-mart.

When I was running in 1992, the same year that Moffitt was first elected, the McHenry County association of tavern owners’ top priority was legalization of slot machines.

Many were having a tough time staying in business.

Larry Hicks, a Southern Ilinois Democratic Party State Representative, who ended up in jail and, after release, driving a truck for the Department of Transportation, spoke at Hussman Elementary School under the sponsorship of Crystal Lake Grade School District 47 about how much benefit schools would receive from video poker.

But the money did not go to education when the legislation was written.

Here’s who gets how much:

  • 35% – owner of the machine
  • 35% – establishment where the machines are located
  • 25% – capital projects selected by state government
  • 5% – city, village or county government (for unincorporated territory)

Passage of the 280-page bill in 2009 was greased.

It took less than 48-hours.

Why?

It took less than 48-hours.

That’s because the money was targeted to capital projects in members’ districts.

Roads and other building projects where legislators could get local publicity.

That strategy followed the template of Rockford’s Zeke Giorgi in selling the lottery.

Every press conference stressed that the money would go for education.

But, that’s not where the money was targeted.

As Giorgi delighted in telling freshmen legislators at their New Members’ Conference, the money went to finance the Regional Transportation Authority.

And, for the first year, it did.

The lottery’s revenue projection was $67-68 million and that was what RTA was going to get during its first year from the General Fund.

He passed out copies of the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times from the day after RTA was passed to back up his claim.

Of course, virtually every person in the room thought the money went to education.

And, by 1992, it did.

Legislators in the 1980’s got tired to tying to explain why the Georgi’s publicty campaign didn’t end up with lottery proceeds going to subsidize schools.

The result was that a bill was passed directing the money from thme General Fund to that from which schools got money.

But the funds from the lottery were not new money.

The General Assembly just removed pretty much the same amount that flowed inthe the education fund from other sources.

This slight of hand, of course, led to deserved disillustionment with the legislature.


Comments

“Growth of Slot Machines ‘Unimaginable'” — 2 Comments

  1. “But this kind of availability, all across the state, this was something I did not anticipate.”

    Then he is an idiot.

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