FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010

CONTACT: BRAD HAHN
630-606-1394

 

Leaders call on Ald. Schulter to make good on promise

CHICAGO—Residents representing a broad coalition of business, labor, community and neighborhood organizations gathered at City Hall Wednesday to urge the Committee on License and Consumer Protection to support new jobs and community investment by lifting the city’s ban on the new, state-managed video gaming system that is critical for funding the Illinois capital bill. Specifically, residents called on License Committee Chairman and Alderman Eugene Schulter to follow-through immediately with his pledge to hold public hearings on the city’s video gaming ban.

“We simply cannot wait any longer to implement this jobs program,” said Tom Villanova, President of the Chicago & Cook County Building and Construction Trades. “People are hurting, and any delay in funding this essential jobs program is simply unacceptable. I urge you to hold hearings right away so that we can begin helping Chicago recover and rebuild.”

The rally comes two months after hundreds demonstrated at City Hall on behalf of the Back to Work Illinois coalition to ask the City Council to “opt-in” on the new state-regulated video gaming system. At the time, Schulter said he was committed to holding public hearings on the matter—but no hearing date has been set.

Residents on Wednesday stressed that they cannot continue to wait for the $31 billion capital plan and the jobs it will create, and asked Schulter to make good on his promise immediately.

“The Capital Bill is critically important for our families and neighborhoods and every day counts,” said Juan Rangel, Chief Executive Officer of the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO). “Alderman Schulter has pledged to at the very least allow public input on this critical decision facing the city and we are hopeful that he will follow through on his promise.”

Approved with a strong bipartisan majority, the Illinois Capital Bill invests in roads, transit, school construction and other important projects that are expected to generate 439,000 jobs over the next five years. A mix of revenue sources to fund the plan was also approved by the General Assembly, including proceeds from a new, state-managed video gaming system. In Chicago, the City Council must lift an existing ban on video gaming in order to deploy the new system.

If the City does not authorize deployment of the system, the Capital Bill could face a revenue shortfall of up to $2 billion over the next decade, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

“In order to create jobs and set the stage for long-term economic growth, the City Council needs to take action now to allow deployment of the new, state-managed video gaming system in Chicago,” said Jerry Roper, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

The centralized, state-administered gaming system dedicates 5 percent of revenue collected locally to the City of Chicago—an estimated $30 million annually, if fully implemented.

Beyond the economic benefit, the gaming system will ban an estimated 60,000 machines that operate across the state in unregulated locations. Many of these unregulated “gray games” provide illegal and untaxed payouts to patrons. Beginning August 1, 2010, the simple possession of an unlicensed machine will be a class 4 felony.

Back to Work Illinois is a coalition of 29 statewide and regional organizations representing business and labor organizations, community and neighborhood groups in support of the full implementation of the state capital plan. Funding for Back to Work Illinois is provided by the Illinois Coin Machine Operators Association and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers.

 

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