Lawmakers could focus on gambling
Updated: November 27, 2012
SPRINGFIELD -- Summer break is over for lawmakers and they're coming back to the capitol with a pretty full plate. The veto session for the General Assembly starts Tuesday. One of the major issues involves Central Illinois. WCIA-3's Steve Staeger has a preview.
The big question is whether lawmakers are ready to "double-down" on the gambling bill. The odds are hard to read.
The gaming bill could bring a casino to Danville. It's something Governor Quinn vetoed. Lawmakers could try to go over his head. Either way, supporters are hoping for something.
Call it the calm before the storm. During the veto session, these halls will be buzzing. When these seats are filled once again, the question is, will anything get done? Danville State Representative Chad Hays (R) hopes so.
"People say there isn't a silver bullet in the state of Illinois, and I would say there is a silver bullet. And the silver bullet is a good job."
Part of that silver bullet could come in the form of slot machines and table games. Hays is one of several lawmakers fighting to keep a gaming bill alive. It would build five new casinos, including a riverboat in Danville.
"We're talking about several hundred million dollars of investment in the community. We're talking about 350 construction jobs; 750 permanent jobs."
The governor said, 'no' this summer.
"One of life's great ironies is that, yes, he vetoed the bill, but he really does seem to like the Danville portion of it."
That's why Hays and his colleagues have some hope. He believes there may be enough votes to go over the governor's head during this pre-holiday veto session. If not, he's confident lawmakers will be able to work out a deal. It's a deal he says is necessary to get his district back on its feet.
"It's not the end-all but it certainly fits in nicely with some of the other efforts that are underway to bring jobs and employment and revenue and investment to East Central Illinois."
The gaming bill may be one of the only real big issues lawmakers discuss in the next few weeks. The bulk of the big issues, like pension reform, will most likely see some action when lawmakers return after the first of the year.
One of Governor Quinn's issues with the gaming bill is that he said it feels "too heavy." He also wants to see some limits as to how much campaign money lawmakers can take from these casino businesses.
The big question is whether lawmakers are ready to "double-down" on the gambling bill. The odds are hard to read.
The gaming bill could bring a casino to Danville. It's something Governor Quinn vetoed. Lawmakers could try to go over his head. Either way, supporters are hoping for something.
Call it the calm before the storm. During the veto session, these halls will be buzzing. When these seats are filled once again, the question is, will anything get done? Danville State Representative Chad Hays (R) hopes so.
"People say there isn't a silver bullet in the state of Illinois, and I would say there is a silver bullet. And the silver bullet is a good job."
Part of that silver bullet could come in the form of slot machines and table games. Hays is one of several lawmakers fighting to keep a gaming bill alive. It would build five new casinos, including a riverboat in Danville.
"We're talking about several hundred million dollars of investment in the community. We're talking about 350 construction jobs; 750 permanent jobs."
The governor said, 'no' this summer.
"One of life's great ironies is that, yes, he vetoed the bill, but he really does seem to like the Danville portion of it."
That's why Hays and his colleagues have some hope. He believes there may be enough votes to go over the governor's head during this pre-holiday veto session. If not, he's confident lawmakers will be able to work out a deal. It's a deal he says is necessary to get his district back on its feet.
"It's not the end-all but it certainly fits in nicely with some of the other efforts that are underway to bring jobs and employment and revenue and investment to East Central Illinois."
The gaming bill may be one of the only real big issues lawmakers discuss in the next few weeks. The bulk of the big issues, like pension reform, will most likely see some action when lawmakers return after the first of the year.
One of Governor Quinn's issues with the gaming bill is that he said it feels "too heavy." He also wants to see some limits as to how much campaign money lawmakers can take from these casino businesses.
