Union Supports Video Gambling At County Hearing

Video gambling opponents were able to organize "Opt Out" T-shirts for half a dozen residents but Big Labor turned out about 50 members who run  road building machines to tell the McHenry County Board Liquor and License Committee Wednesday video poker machines would give the county lots of roads and them lots of work.

Committee Chairman John Hammerand called Wednesday's public hearing for public input on whether McHenry County should ban newly-legalized video gambling terminals from unincorporated areas.  Revenue from the machines is planned to pay for a lot of Illinois infrastructure including Algonquin's Route 31 bypass and Huntley's Route 47 widening.

The strongest opposition voice was that of McHenry County State Rep. Jack Franks (D) 63 who claimed video gaming machines were programmed to pay off gamblers with "the same reward system researchers use to train rats". He charged organized crime was waiting impatiently in the wings.

Board Member Jim Kennedy, Lake in the Hills, a cop, said crime was one of his concerns, too.  Crystal Lake Member Barb Wheeler was similarly concerned since, quoting a friend, "If we could tax corruption in Illinois the streets would be paved in gold."

State Rep. Mike Tryon (R) 64 said the question wasn't how bad video gambling was but rather how much worse were the alternatives: a big gasoline or income tax increase.

Crystal Lake attorney Jim Bishop said the state's a little bit pregnant on gambling, anyway.  "We have casinos, we have horse racing, we've got a lottery, we've got Texas Hold Em in the VFW and raffles at the churches," he said. "And we've got the worst roads and the worst budget anywhere," said Bishop to hoots of approval and applause from the Operating Engineers Local 150 contingent.

State Sen. Pam Althoff (R)32 told the committee there was no reason to go off half-cocked since, despite a statutory deadline already past, the Illinois Gaming Commission wasn't ready to regulate video gaming machines and probably wouldn't be for "six to nine months in my estimation".

Althoff said that was time enough to hold a referendum if the County Board wanted to.  Indeed, Franks  called on the board to do just that.

Franks painted a picture of video gambling on every corner at "literally thousands of bars restaurants and truckstops."  It was an hour before Althoff inquired how many businesses in unincorporated McHenry County could even theoretically apply for a license.

Forty four, said Hammerand, seven of them golf courses.