Quinn says gaming expansion talks "on the right path," pans Chicago pension plan

By Jamey Dunn 

Gov. Pat Quinn today weighed in on some issues potentially facing lawmakers this spring session. The governor had some positive comments about a possible gambling expansion but criticized Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to address the underfunded pension systems for city workers.

Quinn has been viewed as the roadblock to long-proposed racetrack and casino gambling expansion in the state. While the governor signed off on allowing video poker in bars, truck stops and restaurants across Illinois as part of funding for the capitol construction plan, he has twice vetoed gambling expansions for casinos and horse-racing tracks that have been sent to his desk. But he told reporters in Chicago today that he thinks some progress has been made on the topic. He said that he would not support any gambling expansion unless it has strong ethics rules and oversight from the Illinois Gaming Board. A proposed Chicago casino, which would be owned by the city, has been the target of Quinn’s scrutiny. He says he backs the idea, but so far has not liked the way lawmakers have proposed structuring the oversight of a city casino. “You’ve got to have strong ethical standards, and I think they need to be enforced, and it has to be done by the independent Illinois Gaming Board,” Quinn said today. “I think we have kind of ironed that out. I think we’re on the right path.” The governor has also said in the past that he would not support an expansion unless the revenues went to fund education.

Quinn said he is willing to meet with those supporting an expansion bill and then said he thinks the “issue could come up this year.”

The governor had less than positive things to say about Emanuel’s proposal to reduce the city’s $19.5 billion unfunded liability for its workers pensions. The plan would ask employees to pay a larger portion toward their retirement benefits and reduce their annual cost of living adjustments. The city would also increase local property taxes to bring in an additional $50 million per year for five years beginning in 2016. Pensions for police, firefighters and teachers are not included in the plan. If those systems are added in, the city’s unfunded liability is more than $29 billion.

House Speaker Michael Madigan is sponsoring the measure, which passed in committee but failed to make it to a floor vote last week. As part of his budget proposal for next fiscal year, Quinn pitched a plan to offer property tax relief to many homeowners while extending the current income tax rates. Today, Quinn said he was not impressed by the mayor’s proposal. “I wouldn’t call a bill; I would call it a sketch. It kept changing by the hour,” he said. Quinn said he wants to see a “comprehensive” proposal to address the shortfall in the city’s pension systems, but he would not offer specifics. “If they think they’re just going to gouge property taxpayers, no can do. We’re not going to go that way,” he said. “Chicago has to address its own situation with respect to pension reform, but I think they need to be a whole lot more creative than I have seen so far.”

 Emanuel has pitched the concept as a hard-fought compromise worked out with unions. However, some labor groups do not support the bill. “We finally have a model that brings both reform and revenue together,” Emanuel told reporters at a different Chicago news conference today. “It was never anyone’s intention to have Springfield deal with that. That’s our responsibility. But I do believe, to actually give the 61,000 workers and retirees the certainty they deserve, you need reform and revenue. And we’ll deal with our responsibility.” The city’s pensions are governed by state law, so the General Assembly must approve any change. However, the city can increase the property tax on its own. A major sticking point in getting the bill passed is whether the increase will be included in the legislation. State lawmakers do not want to take the hit for a tax increase they believe should be approved at the local level. But unions want the security of knowing that the revenue would come with the benefit reductions instead of counting on city officials to approve the tax increase after their members’ benefits have already been cut.

Veto session preview

By Jamey Dunn

Our October issue has a helpful preview of the Illinois General Assembly's fall veto session. (It is only available in the print edition until Nov. 1, when it will become available online.) Many of the issues that could crop up are the same ones left unresolved at the end of the spring legislative session. But there have been some developments and changes since that story was published. Here are some things to watch for as lawmakers return to the Statehouse for veto session this week: 

Public pension changes 
Don’t expect much to happen this week on the most highly anticipated issue. Lawmakers working on a committee to propose changes to the state’s pension systems say they will not have legislation drafted in time for a vote in the first week of veto session. Details of a plan that they were considering went public in August. The plan would toss out the 3 percent annual compounded cost-of-living adjustment retirees currently receive. Instead, cost-of-living adjustments would be half the rate of inflation. The rates would have a base level and cap set. The change would likely result in smaller COLAs for retirees, but if inflation goes up, so will the COLAs. Employees would contribute 1 percent less to their retirement benefits. The retirement age would not change. The proposal is estimated to reduce the almost $100 billion unfunded pension liability by $18.1 billion and save the state $145 billion over 30 years.

But some Republicans say the plan would not save enough money. They want to see some tweaks made, including decreasing the base guaranteed COLA, making the cut to employee contributions smaller, increasing the retirement age and offering an optional 401(k)-style plan to employees in all the pension systems. Right now, such a plan is only offered to university employees. The Republican members of the committee had these ideas scored by actuaries to estimate their potential savings and just got the numbers back at the end of last week. “We don’t have a bill that’s written yet. I don’t see us doing anything on pensions in veto next week,” said Naperville Republican Darlene Senger.

Aurora Democratic Sen. Linda Holmes said Democrats on the committee are open to the Republicans suggestions. However, ideas such as adding a 401(k) component or changing the retirement age could be non-starters. “I don’t think that our side really wants to touch retirement age,” she said. Northbrook Democratic Rep. Elaine Nekritz said that while there will not be a lot of outward action on pensions, there will likely be a lot of behind-closed-doors meetings taking place this week among legislative leaders and members of the legislature. She says of the Republican proposals: “Personally I supported a bill that had a larger level of savings, so I don’t object to moving in that direction. But we have to find something that will meet everybody’s needs.” She said she hopes the committee will have a final plan to present to the General Assembly by the last week of veto session, which is scheduled to begin on November 5. “That is my fervent hope.” Lawmakers are not in session the last week of October. Nekritz said she thinks it is likely such a plan would get a hearing before a floor vote, but she said it might not be a procedural requirement. She said she would prefer a hearing. But she notes, “I don’t control the gavel.” Senate President John Cullerton told the Associated Press that a bill could be called in the Senate even if the committee cannot come to an agreement, but it could be harder to pass something in both chambers without a bipartisan stamp of approval from the committee.

Gov. Pat Quinn will likely talk about little else in the coming weeks as he has made pension reform his top priority. He vetoed lawmakers’ pay this summer, saying they should not get it until a bill was passed. However a judge ruled against his veto, and they started getting their checks again in September. The Illinois Supreme Court has agreed to take up the case and will likely hear arguments in the spring. Quinn is voluntarily not taking a paycheck. He says he will not take his pay until a bill is sent to his desk.

Same-sex marriage
Proponents are optimistic about passing same-sex marriage in the near future, but whether it will happen in the veto session is unclear. Some advocates say they have the votes but are not willing to indicate whom they have brought on board in the House. That makes sense because Republicans who have made their support public have faced protests and are now likely to have primary challengers. To pass as is, the bill would need 71 votes now. But if the bill’s sponsor, Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris, waits until January, the deadline to file petitions to run in the primary will have passed, and the bill would only need 60 votes. He opted not to call the bill at the end of the regular session because he said he did not have the votes, and some House members wanted time to poll their constituents.  Harris, as always, will not share his vote count. But he told the Chicago Tribune that now is the time to legalize same-sex marriage. “It's the right time, and it's the right thing to do” he said. “Momentum is in the direction of this vote.” Supporters and opponents have rallies at the Statehouse scheduled this week.

ADM tax breaks
Archer Daniels Midland announced earlier this month that it plans to move its headquarters from Decatur, where it has been based for more than 40 years. The company says it would keep jobs that are in Decatur now but would move about 100 positions to the new headquarters. It appears that Chicago is on ADM’s short list of potential locations for its headquarters, but ADM is seeking up to $24 million in tax breaks from state government during the next 20 years. The legislation is scheduled for a House committee hearing on Tuesday. Few lawmakers are vocally supporting the proposal, and there are plenty of critics. But if it seems that ADM might really leave the state, votes could line up behind the legislation. However, Quinn has said he will not sign legislation with tax breaks for ADM before changes to the pension systems are approved. “Our number one way to help business is to get pension reform. We need ADM and all of our big businesses to band together, put pressure on the legislature — the House and the Senate, Democrats and Republicans — to get a vote on the pension reform. That helps everybody. That helps every business. That helps every taxpayer,” Quinn told reporters in Chicago earlier this month. “I think we need to have a moratorium on any special legislation for tax breaks for corporations. We have to focus on pension reform.” But Quinn’s relationship with the legislature after he cut off their pay may be frosty enough that his opposition on any issue could potentially give it a boost.

Gun crime sentencing
Some Chicago leaders, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, are calling for the legislature to pass tougher sentencing laws in the hopes of quelling the deadly gun violence taking place in parts of the city. The push comes after a shooting in a park injured 13 people, including a 3-year-old, last month. The National Rifle Association and prison watchdog groups oppose the measure. The watchdog groups worry that longer sentences would strain the state’s already crowded corrections system.

The NRA has illustrated its ability to stop a bill in its tracks many times in the General Assembly. So unless the sponsor, Chicago Democratic Rep. Michael Zalewski, can work out a deal with the group, it could be a tough battle. The legislation is scheduled for a House committee hearing on Tuesday. 

Committee Hearings
Several issues are scheduled for “subject matter only” hearings during the veto session. That means witnesses will likely come in to testify and lawmakers can ask questions, but no committee vote is taken on legislation.

• Gambling expansion It seems unlikely that lawmakers will vote on a gaming bill during the veto session, but there is a House hearing on the topic scheduled for Wednesday. Quinn has not said that he would give a gaming bill the same treatment as an ADM tax break if it landed on his desk before pension reform. However, he has warned lawmakers in the past not get distracted by the “shiny object” of a gambling expansion when he feels they should be working to get pension changes passed. He has vetoed two gambling bills in the past and said last year that he could only approve one if it had strict regulations and the money went to education.
• Budgetary issues Several House budget committees are holding hearings on potential supplemental appropriations. It is the time of year when agencies tend to come to lawmakers looking to patch budget holes. Union leaders may also be seeking an appropriation for workers’ back pay from raises there were promised but did not receive. Quinn’s budget staff has said that workers should get the money under a new deal the state made with the unions. However, House Speaker Michael Madigan seems less than warm to the idea. Since there are no bills drafted and in committee, it seems more likely that such budget issues might be tackled in January. Quinn may also be reluctant to sign more spending unless pension changes pass. UPDATE: There is a bill for employee back pay, Senate Bill 2603. It had not been posted to an appropriations hearing as of Monday. Union officials are working to lobby lawmakers. “A circuit court judge has already ruled that the money must be paid. Now Gov. Quinn has agreed, too. But it is up to the state legislature to appropriate the funds that are needed,” says a call to action to its members from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 31. 
• Paint disposal One hearing that may lead to legislation down the road is scheduled for November 4. Lawmakers are looking to create a program to ensure that paint is properly disposed of in the state. Holmes, who sponsors the Paint Stewardship Act, said the committee is seeking input and hopes to get an end product that sellers and industry can agree to. Under such a plan, a small fee would be added to the cost of paint, and the money would be used to set up the program. Holmes cautions that the idea is still in a very early stage and could see major changes as the process continues. “What we want to do is have everyone on board with it,” she said.
• Retiree health care The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability is scheduled to hold a hearing on state retiree health benefits on Wednesday morning. We will have coverage on the blog.

Committee hearings are also scheduled on the topics of college affordability, performance-based funding for universities and giving underfunded K-12 schools a break from some statutory requirements. There will be a lot going on this week, but time will tell if much actually gets done. All those hearings may be in part window dressing because much of the big legislation will not be ready for prime time until the final week of veto session in November. Lawmakers may also not be too excited to jump onto controversial bills this week when they can always put the votes off for two more weeks. However, if a sponsor thinks the votes are lined up for a bill, he or she will want to call it before anyone has time for a change of heart.

Gaming talks fall apart on final day of session

By Meredith Colias 

Efforts to pass gambling legislation fell apart as the Illinois House adjourned its spring session.

Blue Island Democratic Rep. Robert Rita told reporters earlier in the week he hoped to have a bill by the last day of the session, but that did not pan out. He said more time for compromise will “be worth it if we can have a greater dialogue.”  Rita did introduce an amendment that he said he hoped would start a conversation about issues such as the tax structure for casinos and racetracks with slot machines, where revenue from gaming would go and the regulation of a proposed Chicago casino.

Senate sponsor Sen. Terry Link, a Democrat from Waukegan, said Rita was still learning the issue and may have tweaked the bill too much. “It was a ridiculous amendment in my mind,” Link said. “We should be working the agreements that we had with people.”

What to watch for on the last day of session

By Meredith Colias and Jamey Dunn 

The legislature heads toward its final day tomorrow with plenty of issues still to address.

Here some things to watch for …

Same-sex marriage 
With a same-sex marriage vote possibly looming tomorrow, supporters at the Capitol urged lawmakers today to take up the issue before adjournment. Teresa Volpe, who came with her partner and young children, said it was “about the message that is being sent to our family.” Volpe said she wanted to show her children “they are not born into a society of inequality.”

The bill has been dormant in the House since February, when the Senate ushered it through the chamber on Valentine's Day. Since then, its sponsor, Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris, has been secretive on its House prospects. Whether Harris has the votes to secure its passage is still unknown. Many undecided legislators are not publicly saying whether they will support the legislation, waiting until the final moment to reveal their intentions. Illinois barely passed civil unions in 2010, 61 to 52, and not all legislators who supported it then may necessarily support same-sex marriage now if the vote is called. President Barack Obama, a former Illinois state senator, waited until later in his presidency to publicly support same-sex marriage. During an appearance this week in Chicago, he urged the House to take up the legislation, Senate Bill 10.

Budget bills 
The House still needs to vote on budgets for K-12 and higher education. Better-than-expected tax revenues are allowing the legislature to avoid cuts proposed in the governor’s March budget next year for general state aid, transportation, bilingual and early childhood education. The legislature’s higher education budget also avoids a 5 percent cut the governor called for, as well.

The K-12 funding is included in Senate Bill 2555.  The higher education funding is included in Senate Bill 2556.

The Senate plans to take up two budget bills tomorrow as well:

• House Bill 214 is general services spending, the General Assembly’s budget and the constitutional officers' budgets.
• HB 215 is public safety and transportation spending, Illinois Department of Corrections budget, capital construction spending for the next fiscal year and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources budget. Both have been approved by the House.

Health insurance exchange 
The bill authorizing the “Obamacare” online insurance marketplace exchange passed the Senate and awaits a vote in the House to confirm or reject changes the Senate made that need to be reconciled before the legislation can be sent to the governor. Individuals would be allowed to purchase health insurance plans if they do not receive health insurance through an employer. The exchange is scheduled to begin in 2014. The bill is House Bill 3227.

Speed limit increase
A bill increasing the highway speed limit to 70 mph in most of downstate Illinois has passed both chambers and now heads to the governor. Freshman Republican Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove sponsored the Senate version. Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Madison and St. Clair counties would be able to opt out of the increase. The bill is Senate Bill 2356.

Drones 
A bill narrowly defining drone use by law enforcement passed the House, and now the Senate needs to take up changes the House made. The Senate version allowed law enforcement to use a drone quickly to prevent extensive damage to property. The House version rejects that. The bill is Senate Bill 1587.

Pension changes 
The House and Senate appear to have reached an impasse on the issue, but anything can happen on the last day of session. Keep an eye out for an attempt at a last-minute compromise.

Gaming 
Blue Island Democratic Rep. Robert Rita, the sponsor of SB 1739, said today that he hopes to have a final bill tomorrow. It wouldn’t be the end of session without a push for a gambling expansion.

Concealed carry of firearms
Players from both chambers are reportedly meeting on this issue. The two bills from each chamber are not that far apart, so a compromise bill is a possibility.

Senate hopes to woo Quinn with new gambling plan

By Meredith Colias

The Illinois Senate passed yet another gambling expansion, and supporters hope newly added ethical guidelines will persuade Gov. Pat Quinn to sign it.

In the last two years, the legislature has approved two gaming expansion bills, and Quinn has vetoed both. The Senate today approved Senate Bill 1739 on a 32-20-1 vote, with six members not voting.

The new bill is similar to previous proposals. It includes slot machines at horse racing tracks and new casinos for Chicago, Rockford, Danville, the southern suburbs of Chicago and Lake County. Existing casinos could get more gaming positions. Chicago could use some its new gaming positions at its airports.

Waukegan Democratic Sen. Terry Link, who sponsored all three of the gaming bills, said he made the changes in response to the governor's criticism of past plans. The latest version of the bill bans casino license-holders from contributing to political campaigns, something the governor has pushed for in the past. It also gives the Illinois Gaming Board the last word in oversight on the proposed Chicago casino. A body would be created to own the casino, so it would not be directly owned by the city. Under the plan, the Chicago Casino Development Authority would contract with an operator that would actually run the facility. However, Quinn said he was worried that the authority might try to circumvent the regulatory power of the Gaming Board. 

Sen. Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican who voted against the bill, said the legislation would potentially penalize people who owned establishments such as small bars that were licensed for video poker and made private contributions to a political campaign on their own. “What we don’t want is those people back home [writing small checks to campaigns], and the next thing you know someone on the gaming board is knocking on their door,” he said.

Link said the bill would provide a financial windfall for the state. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability estimated revenues from licensing fees for the slot machines at racetracks, new casinos and new gaming positions at existing casinos would bring in $1.2 billion initially, and $268 million annually after that. “It not only will save thousands of jobs, it will create thousands of jobs, and it will help our educational system for the future,” he said. Representatives from existing casinos say they think the revenue potential is not that large.

Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said most of the existing operators are not interested in new gaming positions and believe the expansion would cannibalize the 10 already-existing casinos in the state. Swoik said a lot of the money estimated to come from the expansion was already spoken for and would not be available to go to schools. “We believe that this is going to leave very little money for education,” he said.

Link said that according to the COGFA report, of the $268 million projected proceeds, about $128.7 million is slated to go to education. He said he hoped Quinn would recognize the “huge effort” made to incorporate the governor’s suggestions into the current bill.

Quinn said in his February budget address that he could support gaming only with a proposal that had ethical protections, with the money taken in by the state going to education. A spokeswoman for Quinn said today that the governor is not taking a stance on the bill, but she said she does see some improvements. “It appears to be moving in the right direction. We’re reviewing it in detail. We’re pleased to see a number of our proposals included,” Brooke Anderson said.

Gaming board airs compliants over gambling expansion

By Jamey Dunn 

Members of the Illinois Gaming Board faced a chilly reception when they appeared before a state Senate committee today to present their concerns about a gambling expansion bill currently being considered.

“Thank you for being here today. It’s about time. We’ve waited for a long time for this meeting to take place. I’ve heard myself being criticized on TV, radio, everywhere else by you, judge, but it’s the first time we’ve had a meeting. So I appreciate you showing up,” Sen. Terry Link said to Aaron Jaffe, a former judge and now chairman of the gaming board. Jaffe has publicly bashed gambling proposals backed by Link in recent years. Link is the sponsor of Senate Bill 1739, which would allow five new casinos statewide, including one owned by the city of Chicago. The bill would also allow slot machines at horse racing tracks and online gambling that would be administered by the Illinois Lottery.

Jaffe focused most of his complaints about SB 1739 on the plans for the Chicago casino. The measure creates the Chicago Casino Development Authority, which would own the casino. The authority would then contract with an operator that would run the casino. Jaffe said that he is concerned that the legislation is not clear on what entity would have regulatory power. He said the gaming board, which polices all the other casinos in the state, would have the ability to provide oversight in the same way for the proposed Chicago facility. Under the bill, the city’s license could not be suspended or revoked. The operator’s license, however, would be subject to the same scrutiny as the state’s 10 other casino licenses. But Jaffe said that he was worried that the Illinois Gaming Board and the Chicago Casino Development Authority would eventually end up in in a legal battle if there is disagreement about oversight. “I don’t want to be in the position of having to go through court battles with the Chicago authority because there’s conflict in our rules.”

Senate President John Cullerton said during the hearing that supporters of the expansion intend for the bill “to create a situation where [you] have the same authority that you have over every other casino in the state over Chicago.”

Jaffe said that he does not oppose Chicago getting a casino. But he said there could be unintended consequences associated with a city-owned casino, something he says does not exist elsewhere in the United States. “There can be conflicts that pop up that we will never dream about now,” he said. In addition to his complaints about the Chicago casino, Jaffe said the bill is too large and poorly written. “It contains so much junk in it from top to bottom,” he said. “It’s a Christmas tree bill. It’s something for everyone.” He said the board is not prepared to take on the task of vetting such a large expansion. “If you want that bill, properly enacted and properly regulated, we probably would need 300 more bodies,” he said. Gaming board officials said the board is understaffed by about 100 people and would need those positions filled, plus 300 more employees to administer to proposal.

Supporters argue that the measure will bring economic development to depressed areas, add more than $1 billion in revenue to the state’s struggling budget and help to prop up the state’s struggling horse racing industry. Link said that Jaffe and the board should have been working with him on the bill instead of complaining about it publicly. “If you had a problem with this bill you or your staff should have been in my office...and asking me ‘what can I do to improve the bill.’ And I would have listened to you.”

 Jaffe said he would be willing to sit down with lawmakers to talk about the bill. But judging from the exchanges at today’s hearing, that could be a contentious meeting. Jaffe and committee members from both sides of the aisle traded barbs, and at few points things became heated between Jaffe and Link. “I don’t want to be insulting today, but I just think what you’re saying is preposterous,” Jaffe said.

Link responded, “Well, I think what you’re saying is beyond that.”

Part of the tension may stem from a provision in Link’s bill that would remove all the members of the gambling board. Gov. Pat Quinn would be free to reappoint them if they fit the bill’s requirements for board members. But Link said tonight that he does not plan to pass a bill with that component, and he plans to remove it from the bill when it is up for another committee hearing next week. Quinn today reiterated his support for the current board. “I have a lot of respect for the gaming board. I’ve put people on there that are upstanding and will get the job done for the public. Anything that lessens their independence, I think is very dangerous.”

He also rehashed his longstanding worries about the oversight of a Chicago casino, which he says he supports. “I think we have to be exceptionally careful in places like Chicago, where we must have over all the time so that we don’t have wrong people in gambling doing bad things.” But Quinn said he is “not excited” about allowing online gambling, which SB 1739 would also do. “This whole subject of Internet gaming, we’ve got to be careful here. This has to be analyzed very carefully. We just can’t pass things willy-nilly. It doesn’t have the proper review. It just was thrown in there at the last minute, and I don’t think that’s healthy. I think when it comes to gambling, you always have to be careful. I think everybody in Illinois knows that.”

Return-to-session preview

By Jamey Dunn

Lawmakers return from a two-week break in the legislative session to begin the slog through the final two months before the May 31 adjournment date. They have plenty to consider in the coming weeks:

Pension changes 
Before the House went on break, the chamber took an important vote on changes to state employees’ retirement benefits. They approved House Bill 1165 on a vote of 66 to 50. The bill would cap the amount of salary on which retirees could earn the compounded 3 percent cost of living adjustment [COLA] at $25,000. Anyone earning more pension income would receive a flat COLA of $750 annually. Under the proposal, retirees would not be eligible for a COLA until they have been retired for five years or they reach age 67, whichever comes first. The bill also would apply to current retirees who are now receiving COLAs. Supporters of pension changes said this was perhaps the most difficult vote on the issue taken so far. The House has already approved legislation that would cap pensionable salary at the Social Security wage base, which is $113,700 in 2013, or the employee's current salary, whichever is greater, and a bill that would increase the retirement age for employees younger than 46. Employees from 40 to 45 would see a one-year increase, employees 35 to 39 would see a three-year increase and employees 34 and younger would see a five-year increase.

House Speaker Michael Madigan said those components, potentially along with some other provisions that have been up for debate recently, would likely be part of comprehensive legislation yet to come. “I think we’re in a position to finalize the preparation of the bill and then move a bill from the House to the Senate that treats all aspects of the problem,” he said.

Rep. Elaine Nekritz, who has been leading the push for pension changes in the House, said she and Evanston Democratic Sen. Daniel Biss, her counterpart on the issue in the other chamber, have spent the two-week break trying to form a picture of what might be in the final plan. “When we last voted to changes to the COLA, the speaker talked about how the next step would be to put together a comprehensive package,” she said. “So I have put together a list of things that I think we need to be considering.” But Nekritz said it is too soon for her to pin down what may actually end up in that final plan or when it may be up for a committee hearing or floor vote. “At this point, I don’t anticipate that that would happened in the next two weeks, but I've been wrong before.”

Same sex marriage 
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments related to same sex marriage last week, and longtime observers say the court may opt to rule portions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. If that happens, couples in states that have same sex marriage could become eligible for the federal benefits currently available only to heterosexual married couples.

Illinois U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican, announced his support of same sex marriage this week. Kirk, who suffered from a debilitating stroke last year and has been working hard at recovery, said his personal experience paved the way for his stance. “Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this Earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back — government has no place in the middle,” Kirk said in a prepared statement.

Legislation to legalize same sex marriage in Illinois has passed in the Senate, but Madigan said it is about a dozen votes shy of the support needed for it to clear the House. (Go here to read selected Illinois Issues coverage of the issue on the state and federal level.)

Concealed carry 
A federal court ruled the state’s ban on the concealed carrying of firearms unconstitutional and gave Illinois a deadline for approving legislation to regulate it. The House has followed a similar process on this issue as it has on pensions. However, the chamber does not yet seem close to agreement on any final comprehensive plan for concealed carry. Expect to see more debate on the topic, as well as other gun related issues, such as bans on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, in the coming weeks.

Medical marijuana 
Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang thinks this might be the session that a bill to legalize the use of marijuana to treat chronic medical conditions might gain the needed backing to pass in the House. A House committee approved House Bill 1 in March, and Lang said the legislation is gaining support. He says the measure is just a couple votes shy of being passed. Lang has said many times that if every lawmaker who told him they supported the idea would cast a vote in favor of the plan, he would have far more support than the majority he needs. He has called medical marijuana bills for three separate floor votes in the House, only to watch them fail. But he is dealing with many new lawmakers this time around, so perhaps it is Lang’s year. The Senate has approved medical marijuana legislation in the past.

Gaming expansion
Expect efforts to pass another gaming expansion plan in the final months of the scheduled spring session. Lang and Waukegan Democratic Sen. Terry Link, who have backed other expansion plans, say they would like to try again. Lawmakers approved two gambling bills in recent years, only to have them vetoed by Gov. Pat Quinn. The newest proposal contains many of the provisions that were in those two bills, but it also has stricter regulations and a ban on campaign contributions from casino owners, which Quinn has called for many times. But the bill has a wild card provision: It would legalize some forms of online gambling, which would fall under the supervision of the Illinois Lottery. The lottery currently sells tickets online, but allowing online gaming such as Internet poker would be a huge gambling expansion. Residents would be able to place bets from their computers or even their smart phones. Two other states, Nevada and New Jersey, have approved such online gambling. The idea is new, and Quinn has been careful not to be too critical of the legislation in public. However, as the negotiations move in, it is possible this component could make him shy away because he has said he opposes “top heavy” bills that would make gambling in the state too readily available. At one point, the governor was even shying away from putting slot machines at horse racing tracks, an idea he seems to have softened to if the state revenues earned are spent on education.

Budget
As lawmakers debate these and other issues, they will also be working to craft a budget for the next fiscal year. That plan will likely contain some controversial cuts. Spending pressures such as pension costs and health care expenses are growing, and competing interests will be vigorously battling over resources for Fiscal Year 2014.

Quinn pushes pension changes in somber budget speech

By Jamey Dunn

Gov. Pat Quinn laid out some concepts for changes to the state's underfunded pension systems in a budget that he says is the “most difficult” he has presented to lawmakers. However, the House has already decided that when a final budget is enacted, it will contain less spending than Quinn’s plan.

“This is the most difficult budget that I have ever submitted to you,” Quinn said in his budget address today. “But this is also an honest budget that reflects our fiscal challenges, pays down the backlog of bills and addresses funds that have been under-appropriated for too long, There are no gimmicks or fake numbers in this budget,”  He said the difficulty was a product of the legislature’s “inaction on pension reform.”

Pension Changes
Quinn took a stern tone when calling on lawmakers to pass a pension proposal that would change benefits for state workers, teachers outside of Chicago and university and community college employees. “Today, our budget is being squeezed more than ever, and that will continue until we put a stop to it. The most important thing we can do to repair Illinois finances right now is to reform our public pension systems,” Quinn said. “ We all know that we must reform the Illinois public pension systems. So, members of the General Assembly, what are you waiting for?”

Quinn said he was willing to work with lawmakers, but he emphasized that there is only so much he can do. “I stand ready to sign comprehensive pension reform immediately. Today. But I cannot sign what I do not have on my desk. The people of Illinois need your immediate action.”

“I thought he was pretty firm in his tone,” said House Minority Leader Tom Cross. He likened Quinn’s address to a parent giving a lecture. “His tone was fairly strong, and I think he focused on where he need to on the need to reform the pensions system. It is the issue of the day. ... I think he was right in making that the focus of his speech. I agree with him.” Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said that she “agreed with the governor” that it is “time to vote” on changes to the pension system. However, she said it was unfair of Quinn to lay the blame on lawmakers. “Most of the work that has been done on pensions has come out of the General Assembly, and not out of the governor’s office,” she said.

Union leaders said that creating an impression that the only choices out there are deep education cuts or reductions to retiree benefits is dishonest. “It is unfair for Gov. Quinn to present this false choice between pensions or pencils. Springfield lawmakers created the massive pension debt by skipping payments and borrowing more. To call that debt an education expense is not only a gimmick, but an insult to teachers everywhere. We are not to blame, and our students shouldn't suffer,” Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said in a prepared statement.

Quinn laid out some concepts that he said should be part of a pension reform plan. He said he wants a funding guarantee that would require the state to make the annual contribution to the pension systems. He also wants money that is currently being used to pay off pension bonds, which were issued to make past payments, to go toward the unfunded liability once the bonds have been paid off. Such a move would direct almost $1 billion annually to the liability once the bonds expire in 2020. He said the plan should include an increased pension contribution from employees, but he did not give a specific figure on the increase. He also called for a freeze on cost of living adjustments for “those with higher pensions.” He called the current 3 percent compounded COLAs “unsustainable for taxpayers.”

Quinn also said lawmakers should “consider additional solutions to break the gridlock.” He said he would support a gaming bill with “tough ethical standards” and a ban on campaign contributions from casino operators. He has vetoed two gaming bills that he said did not have strong enough protections against corruption. Quinn has demanded for some time now that any money from gambling expansion be spent on education, but for the first time, today he brought up the idea of using gaming revenues on pension costs. “Any enhancement that we enact to gaming revenues this year should be dedicated to education, which could include teachers' pensions.”

Senate President John Cullerton said he plans to push members of his chamber to present pension reform proposals. “This reality reinforces why pension reform remains my top priority this session. For that reason. I have notified all pension reform Senate sponsors to present their bills before the Senate Executive Committee within a week,” Cullerton said in a prepared statement. “I am also working to identify new revenue sources for education and priority programs. I believe that a gaming plan that is structured to address the ethical and regulatory concerns of Governor Quinn can be part of a new revenue mix. I look forward to working with each caucus to advance more solutions for our funding shortfall.” A Senate committee approved a gaming bill after Quinn’s speech. According estimates from Senate Democrats, the proposal could bring in $200 million to $400 million in revenue for schools, more than $50 million each year for pension costs and almost more than $300 million in upfront licensing fees that could be spent on overdue bills. The plan calls for a ban on campaign contributions from gaming licensees. The proposal is also a massive expansion that would create five new casinos, allow slot machines at horse racing tracks and airports and create an online gambling system under the Illinois Lottery. Under the so-called i-gaming proposal, residents could bet online. In the past, Quinn has recoiled at large expansions. A spokesperson said that he is “reviewing” the proposal.

Northbrook Democratic Rep. Elaine Nekrtiz, who has been spearheading the pension issue in her chamber, said: “There’s a lot of finger pointing and blame game going on in this whole discussion, and we just need to stop all that and just get about the business of solving it.” She said she thinks that has happened in the House, where she and Cross have presented legislation. She noted that the changes Quinn said he would like to see in the pensions systems are in that plan. “Those are the pieces that are in the Cross-Nekritz bill. By no means are they in every proposal out there. I was very pleased to see that.”

Cuts
Quinn is proposing a $400 million cut to education, which includes K-12 and higher education. Under the proposal, K-12 spending would be cut by more than $275 million. The bulk of the reduction would fall on general state aid to schools, which would be reduced by $150 million. General aid was cut by $161 million under the current state budget. Higher education would take an $83 million hit. In his speech, Quinn did not focus on the details of what the reductions would mean for schools.

Children’s advocates were disappointed with the proposal. “Gov. Quinn’s budget proposal demonstrates that Illinois’ fiscal crisis is far from over and that children, families and communities continue to pay the price for a history of unwise fiscal decisions made by our elected officials. Nearly every area of the budget that impacts children has been subject to deep cuts over the past few years,” Gaylord Gieseke, president of Voices for Illinois Children, said in a prepared statement.

Quinn's plan would not cut early childhood education or Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) grants for low-income college students.

But the cuts may be even deeper in the plan that is ultimately approved by lawmakers because Quinn and the House started their budget planning from two different points. The governor’s budget office estimated the state would have $35.6 billion to spend, but the House yesterday approved a resolution intended to cap spending at $35.08 billion. Quinn’s plan also calls for lawmakers to reassess automatic transfers out of the General Revenue Fund “Our revenue estimates are based on real numbers. ... They’re based on facts. They’re based on evidence. They’re cautious numbers. They take a pragmatic and reasonable approach, and I don’t know where the governor’s numbers come from,” said Marion Democratic Rep. John Bradley, who chairs the committee that produced the House’s estimate.

Quinn’s budget staff said he plans to call on lawmakers to scrutinize money that is automatically transferred out of the General Revenue Fund before the budgeting battle begins. The largest transfer distributes income-tax revenues to local governments. Other transfers are spent on mass transit or are the result of budget deals made in past years. “We haven’t even considered that,” Bradley said. “When you talk about the transfers out, what you’re really talking about is the local government distributive fund. Fifty percent of the transfers out go to local governments, and the other [large] percentage of that goes to mass transit, both upstate and downstate. So that’s going to be a fight between him and the city of Chicago, and Cook County and all the local municipalities throughout the state.”

The idea has been floated in the past by Senate Democrats, and some support it again this year. “Nobody wants to see a $400 million reduction in education. ... We can’t let that happen,” said Park Ridge Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski, who chairs a Senate budgeting committee. “People come to our state for a number of reasons, not just because we have good roads, because we have great schools. No business in their right mind will want to come to the state of Illinois if we don’t fund education at the level it should be funded. If we were to tell people out there in the general public that there’s $1 billion that’s out there that’s automatically spent, and it's not reviewed, and it doesn’t face the same kind of scrutiny as education, health care, human services and public safety, people would say, ‘That’s crazy.’ Well it is. And it needs to be fixed. It’s wrong. It’s broken.”

Despite vetoes, gaming supporters still hope for compromise

By Jamey Dunn

As expected, Gov. Pat Quinn today vetoed a gaming expansion bill that was sent to his desk more than a year and a half after the measure passed.

The Senate approved Senate Bill 744 on the last day of the spring legislative session in 2011. The proposal called for five new casino licenses, along with slot machines at horse racing tracks and the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Senate President John Cullerton put a procedural hold on the bill because Quinn had made his distaste for the plan public, calling it "top heavy." Quinn voiced a particular disdain for allowing slot machines at the fairgrounds. Cullerton and supporters of the plan had hoped to work out a compromise with the governor. But Quinn called for them to send the bill and let him rewrite it with his veto power. Instead, proponents of a gaming expansion backed away from SB 744 and threw support behind another bill that they viewed as a compromise. Legislators approved SB 1849 on the last day of the regular spring session of 2012. Quinn vetoed that bill, and lawmakers did not take a vote to override his veto.

“Everybody, including us, knew that he was going to veto [SB 744]. It was just when he was going to veto it,” said Waukegan Democratic Sen. Terry Link, who sponsored both bills. Quinn’s complaints about SB 744 and SB 1849 are similar. Quinn said in today’s veto message that he would not sign off on any gaming plan without “strong ethical standards, comprehensive oversight and dedicated resources for education.” According to the message, Quinn liked SB 744 even less than the gaming plan he previously vetoed. “Senate Bill 744 is even more significantly flawed than SB 1849. Senate Bill 744’s most glaring deficiency is the total absence of comprehensive ethical standards and regulatory oversight. The bill also lacks a ban on campaign contributions by gaming licensees and casino managers, which is essential to keeping corruption out of the gaming industry.”

Link said he plans to propose new legislation that he believes will meet Quinn’s requirements. “We will be introducing a bill that we feel that answers most of the governor’s requests or desires.” However, Link said he and other supporters have been trying all along to get a plan approved that Quinn could accept. “When the goal line keeps moving every time, it’s kind of hard to get to the goal line.”

SB 744 was kicked to Quinn when the 97th General Assembly ended in January. Because the two-year legislative session of the 97th General Assembly is over, lawmakers have no opportunity to try to override today’s veto.

Quinn vetoes gambling expansion, citing ethics concerns

By Jamey Dunn
Gov. Pat Quinn shot down a gambling expansion bill today, but supporters hope to revisit the issue after the general election.

The move from Quinn today came as no shock to the bill’s sponsor. Quinn has kept quiet on what he intended to do, but he has been publicly critical of the bill. “The actions of the governor are disappointing, but they’re certainly not surprising,” said Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang.

Senate Bill 1849 would have created licenses for five new casinos statewide: in Chicago, Park City, Danville, Rockford and in the south suburbs of Chicago. The location of the fifth casino would have been up to Illinois Gaming Board. The bill includes slot machines at horse racing tracks and would allow individual casinos to increase their gaming positions from the current limit of 1,200 to 1,600.

Quinn threatened to veto a similar expansion, SB 744, last year, calling it a “massive" gambling expansion. Senate President John Cullerton used a procedural move to block the measure from making it to Quinn’s desk. Quinn has also voiced opposition to allowing slot machines at horse racing tracks. The governor said in today’s veto message that he saw some positive changes in SB 1849, such as reductions in the scale of the gambling expansion from what was proposed in SB 744. However, he said that the newer bill did not have strong enough ethical standards. “The most glaring deficiency of Senate Bill 1849 is the absence of strict ethical standards and comprehensive regulatory oversight. Illinois should never settle for a gaming bill that includes loopholes for mobsters,” he wrote.

 “We don’t have any corruption in Illinois gaming. Where is his evidence that there is any mafia in Illinois gaming today? There isn’t any,” Lang said.

Quinn made several suggestions in his veto message for improving the measure, such as banning campaign contributions from gaming licensees and casino managers. Lang said he was willing to include any of the governor’s requested ethics measures and asked Quinn to provide him any provisions he wanted included before the legislation was called for a floor vote. “He wouldn’t give me any language, and so we proceeded and passed a bill,” Lang said. He said that Quinn had another opportunity to add in the ethics measures he wanted with his veto pen but opted not to. “The fact that he vetoed the bill instead of amendatory vetoed the bill tells you everything you need to know.”

 Lang added, “I have to draw the conclusion that he was never interested in gaming.”

When asked why he did not make his own changes to the bill, Quinn said: “It just has too many defects. It’s one thing if you had to make some technical changes here and there, but this bill just falls way short of what the people of Illinois need when it comes to ethics in government.” He said he planned to work with lawmakers to craft “a better bill,” which he described as “one that can meet all the requirements of integrity and also make sure the money goes to schools and education.”

However, Lang said that he thinks it is possible to  rally enough support for an override in the legislature's November veto session, despite a comment from House Speaker Michael Madigan to the contrary. “Speaker Madigan was only making a prediction,” Lang said.

“I’m very saddened,” said Waukegan Democratic Sen. Terry Link, who also sponsored the bill. “This is just ridiculous. Again, we have done everything possible to make this work, and again, the goal line has changed.”

An override would have to start in the Senate, and Link said he has not yet made up his mind. He said he plans to decide in the time between the general election and veto session. “We’ve got a three-week window in there, and we’ll be doing a lot of phone calling then,” He said. “People will be either comfortable or happy or sad or whatever they are.”

Link admitted, “It will be in the back of my mind for the next two months.”

Quinn used his veto message to again urge lawmakers to take up the issue of pension reform. A recent special session on pensions produced no substantial results. “Illinois cannot gamble its way out of our fiscal challenges. Even a casino on every street corner cannot repair the state’s $83 billion unfunded pension liability. I urge the members of the Illinois House and Senate to address the most pressing issue of our time — comprehensive public pension reform.”

Quinn plans to act on gambling expansion bill next week

By Jamey Dunn

Gov. Pat Quinn said that he does not plan to make a decision on a gambling expansion bill until his final day to act, which is Tuesday.

“I’ve been really looking at that bill. I will look at it really through the weekend. I probably won’t have a final answer until Tuesday,” Quinn told reporters in Chicago today. “It is a complicated measure. It’s about as thick as the Chicago phone book. And we're going through it line by line, and we have to because we found some things that need close intention.” Quinn said his biggest concerns when looking at the bill are “ethics and integrity,” as well as “oversight of gamblers and gambling interests — casinos and casino owners.” The governor has called for a ban on campaign contributions from individuals with gaming interests, such as casino and racetrack owners.

The sponsor of Senate Bill 1849, Rep. Lou Lang, said he believes that such a ban would be unconstitutional. However, the Skokie Democrat said he would support legislation calling for such a ban if it would help to win Quinn’s support of his legislation.

SB 1849 would allow for five new casinos statewide: in Chicago, Park City, Danville, Rockford and in the south suburbs of Chicago. The location of the fifth casino would be decided by the Illinois Gaming Board. The bill includes slot machines at horse racing tracks but does not allow for slots at the Illinois State Fairgrounds or Chicago airports, which Quinn has spoken out against. The measure would also allow casinos to up their gaming positions from the current limit of 1,200 to 1,600. Quinn threatened to veto a similar expansion last year, calling it “massive." He has also voiced opposition to allowing slot machines at horse racing tracks.

Lang said that Quinn has never given him a clear description of the ethics measures he would like so see. “I’ve offered to meet with the governor anywhere, any time any place to discuss gaming issues and as of yet me offer has been ignored,” he said last week. “It’s impossible for me to draft legislation or make change in the bill to satisfy the governor, when the governor won’t tell me what those changes are. He’s made some vague references in the press about campaign donations and ethics.”

Quinn also said today,:“I always believe that the money should go to education. We have to make sure if we’re going to have any kind of gambling that the resources and revenues be used for important things that make a difference in our society.” SB 1849 would funnel money to other areas, such as agricultural programs and paying off some of the state’s billions in overdue bills owed to vendors, schools and providers.

 Lang said that if Quinn does choose to sign the bill next week, “I’ll be the most surprised person in the Capitol.” House Speaker Michael Madigan said last week that he does not think there will be an override if Quinn vetoes the measure. But Lang disagrees. “I’m prepared for any eventuality. I’m prepared for a signature, a veto or an amendatory veto, and I think we’ll be able to override.”

Madigan says there will be no override if Quinn vetoes gambling expansion

Jamey Dunn

House Speaker Michael Madigan said that if Gov. Pat Quinn vetoes a gaming expansion measure passed at the end of the spring legislative session, it may be the end of the line for the bill.

When asked whether he thought that there would be a successful override if Quinn rejects Senate Bill 1849, Madigan simply said, “No.”

Quinn has yet to act on the bill, but he has been publicly critical of it, saying it does not contain ethics  provisions that he thinks are necessary. He said earlier this week that he is still weighing his choice.

The expansion would mean five new casinos statewide, in Chicago, Park City, Danville, Rockford and in the south suburbs of Chicago. The exact location of the fifth casino would be up to the Illinois Gaming Board to decide. The bill includes slot machines at horse racing tracks, which Quinn has opposed, but does not allow for slots at the Illinois State Fairgrounds or Chicago airports, which Quinn was very vocal in opposing.

The governor has not been receptive to broad gaming expansions in the past. He proposed a drastic trim back of a gambling bill, which lawmakers approved last year. Supporters of the plan in the Senate used a parliamentary procedure to keep the bill from ever reaching Quinn's desk.

"I think the [House] speaker is wrong. I think we'll have votes in the House and in the Senate to override a gubernatorial veto," said Skokie Democrat Lou Lang, who sponsored both gambling expansion bills. "Now, [Quinn] hasn't vetoed the gaming bill yet. Maybe he'll surprise us and sign it. And if he does, I'll be the most surprised person in the Capitol. But I'm prepared for any eventuality."

Lang said the bill he sponsored has strong ethics provisions, but he also said he is open to the governor's suggestions. "I'm prepared to give the governor virtually anything he wants."

States seeking revenue could spark a boom in Internet gambling

By Jamey Dunn

Illinois paved the way for states selling lottery tickets online. Now some experts believe that the U.S.  Department of Justice ruling that allowed for such online sales will open the door for other forms of online gambling to sweep across the nation.

 “We’re going to have Internet gambling that everybody acknowledges is Internet gambling, and it’s going to be in less than 10 years,” I. Nelson Rose, a law professor and gaming consultant, said today at the National Conference of State Legislatures' legislative summit in Chicago. Rose said the Justice Department ruling, which Illinois and New York requested, allows for many new forms of online gaming — such as poker and even versions of popular games such as the Internet Phenomena Angry Birds, with added wagering components.

Rose said that state lotteries could offer online versions of scratch-off tickets that would be “indistinguishable from a slot machine.” He said that the new interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act gives states substantial leeway when it comes to gaming. Rose said the interpretation found that the act only restricts sports wagering. Anything states opt to do must be legal under state law, or it may fun afoul of federal statues meant to target organized crime, he said, “which means that states can now do anything they want with some limitations.”

Senate President John Cullerton has already floated the idea of online gaming to the Illinois General Assembly. In May, he introduced House Bill 4148, which would create a Division of Internet Gaming within the Illinois Lottery. Cullerton estimated that online gambling could bring in hundreds of million of dollars in revenue for the state. “Certain forms of iGaming, especially poker, rely on large pools of potential players, and states that move swiftly to design a system that captures the widest audience of participants will have an advantage in terms of long-range success,” Cullerton wrote in a letter to legislative leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn. “As a result, it is necessary that Illinois create a legal template that is flexible enough to allow an organized approach to maximizing revenue in an ethical and socially responsible manner, while also establishing logical standards and regulations.”

The bill was never called for a floor vote. Quinn reluctantly supported the legalization of video gaming in bars and restaurants across the state to fund Illinois’ first capital construction program in a decade. However, his administration was slow to implement the plan, which was approved in 2009. The first machines are reportedly arriving in bars and restaurants this week. Quinn has not been receptive to recent gaming expansions passed by the legislature. He has yet to act on a gambling bill that lawmakers approved at the end of May.

Rose and others believe that many states will take the opportunity to delve into online gaming, either through offerings from their lottery programs or by granting licenses to private companies. Rose noted that the popularity of gambling has gone up and down in the country over time. Lotteries were prominent in the colonies and early years of the nation, only to shrink during the mid 19th century. Gambling enjoyed a resurgence in the South after the Civil War and in the western territories, which is why it is associated with the Wild West today. State lotteries began in the 1960s and began to pop up across the country. After one state in a region created a lottery, nearby states often followed suit to avoid losing revenue to their neighbors. “Lotteries exist for a very simple reason: because states and their residents need the revenue,” Margaret DeFrancisco, president and chief operating officer of the Georgia Lottery, said at the summit. The recent recession and the budget shortfalls in many states means that they country may be primed for another. “When there’s an economic downturn or some other motivation it springs up again.”

De Francisco and Rose said the online shopping habits of young people contribute to making the Internet the next frontier for gambling. “Twenty-two-year-olds do not want to go and sit in front of a little metal box with wheels going around,” Rose said. De Francisco said that bricks-and-mortar lottery vendors have “been the bread and butter of our industry and will continue to be.” However, she said online lottery ticket sales give states a chance to target consumers who otherwise might not play.

Some in the gaming industry say the Justice Department ruling leaves the issue too open and that Congress should pass a basic regulatory framework that states must adhere to. “Given the inherently interstate nature of the Internet, we believe there has to be some level of regulation by the federal government,” said Whitaker Askew, vice president of government affairs for the American Gaming Association, which represents casinos, racetracks and several gambling vendors. He said that states should have the power to regulate and tax Internet gaming. He added that state legislatures should have to vote to opt in to legalizing Internet gambling, and those that do not should have the option of keeping it illegal within their borders. Askew said the federal government should only set a bare minimum of regulation that states must uphold to avoid a “regulatory race to the bottom” among states seeking to accommodate gaming operations. While the members of Askew’s association are likely to find themselves in competition with Internet gambling sites, it is also possible that existing casinos may be granted licenses to run online operations.

De Francisco said she and other state administrators are wary of federal regulation. Rose said that the gridlock in Congress means that a federal law is probably not coming any time soon. “I think the federal boat has sailed,” he said. “It just isn’t going happen. It certainly isn’t going to happen this year.”

But some experts believe that states that turn to gambling may make their economies worse. “Gambling’s effect on our economy is like reverse pump priming. It is taking money away from consumer spending and dumping it basically into electronic gambling machines,” said John Kindt, a professor of business and legal policy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Kindt said the Justice Department went too far in its interpretation of the Wire Act. “[The Justice Department’s legal opinion is] an amazing document because the net impact is that a bureaucrat has issued a new controversial interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act, which was designed to attack organized crime. It’s a law that has withstood legal challenges for over 60 years. But this one bureaucrat in the Department of Justice has changed 60 years of precedent, reversing it 180 degrees overnight,” he said in a prepared statement. “The effect this legal opinion will have is that it is slowly removing almost all regulatory oversight of gambling. And once gambling is on the Internet, it’s in every living room, office, school and mobile phone.”

 Kindt said that Congress should evaluate the ruling and consider banning Internet gambling. "States are going to do whatever they think they can get away with to expand gambling simply because they need the revenue. The only way to prohibit it is for Congress to completely ban it again because states need more than a little oversight when it comes to certain things that have the potential to destroy their economies. Internet gambling is public enemy No. 1 in that regard. It’s an incredible economic danger that cannot be overstated."

Quinn continues to push for pension reform

By Jamey Dunn

After lawmakers failed to approve a pension reform plan during their regular session, Gov. Pat Quinn said today that he plans to meet with legislative leaders next week to hammer out a plan that can pass in both chambers.

 "The epic reform of all the most important things we have to do, and really the reform of our lifetimes as far as I'm concerned, is pension reform, and we still have work to do on that," Quinn said. "I think it's important that everyone know that we're racing the clock, that we must get this done as soon as possible. The [bond] rating agencies are poised to decide upon our work, and we must get to work."

Quinn and legislative leaders have voiced concern that bond rating agencies will downgrade the state's credit rating if a change to the pension systems is not accomplished soon. "What's clear from the legislative action yesterday, there's not a majority in either [chamber] yet for a comprehensive solution," Quinn said. "I think we have the elements. We are very close, but we're not there yet. And so, my mission is to focus on that issue so we can get the job done for the people of Illinois. It will make our state a much stronger state." 

Quinn said he thinks that Democrats and Republicans both agree with the "core principle" that local school districts, universities and community colleges have a stake in the cost of retirement benefits for their employees. "It's how to implement that principle that we're still having the negotiations on. Democrats proposed that the schools assume the cost of the pension systems gradually over multiple years.The state would be responsible for the more than $80 billion unfunded liability, but schools would pick up any future liability that might occur. Republicans said the move would result in property tax increases across the state. House Minority Leader Tom Cross had proposed that districts instead cover the retirement costs incurred from raises given to employees in the last years of work. "They can't be able to negotiate the contracts and then hand the bill off to someone else," the governor said.

Quinn would not say whether he plans to sign a gaming expansion bill that may be headed to his desk. The measure has passed in both legislative chambers, but Quinn has voiced concerns about the bill. "I believe in a strong ethical framework of oversight and integrity. No campaign from gambling interests. Those are things I have said over and over again. I'll keep saying them." Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat, said he plans to introduce another bill that would bar people working at the top of the gaming industry from donating to state political campaigns.

Quinn said he now needs to review the state budget that passed yesterday. He said he is moving forward on facility closures, even though lawmakers put money in the budget to keep facilities open. "I've already made my position clear on that," he said.

He also would not indicate whether he plans to sign a bill that would reinstate a revamped an early release program that would allow prisoners to earn time off their sentences for good behavior. Quinn previously shut down the state's early release program. The Department of Corrections had waived a waiting period for applying the credit, and some inmates got out after serving just weeks of their sentences. The Associated Press revealed the policy, and it resulted in a scandal for Quinn that followed him into the 2010 gubernatorial race. He has not reinstated the policy since, and critics say it has led to dangerous overcrowding in the state's medium security prisons. "I want to read the bill. A lot of things happen in a flurry here in the last couple of weeks. Before you make judgments on those bills, you have to really look at them with your staff, go over it with a fine-tooth comb," Quinn said.

House passes gaming bill it previously rejected

By Ashley Griffin and Jamey Dunn

The final weeks of legislative session rarely pass by without rumors of a gambling expansion passing. But sponsors of a bill that failed in the House last fall are betting that this is their year.

Earlier this week Gov. Pat Quinn urged legislators to address Medicaid reforms by the end of the week and not to get distracted by “shiny things,” such as gambling, but today a gaming bill passed on the House floor with 69 “yes” votes and 47 “no” votes.

Senate Bill 1849 was described by sponsor Rep. Lou Lang as an attempt to strike compromise with Gov. Pat Quinn late in May of 2011. A gaming bill, SB 744, had passed in both chambers, but Quinn had vowed a veto. Senate President John Cullerton used a procedural move to keep the measure from ever landing on the governor’s desk. Quinn put out some suggestions — which included not allowing horse racing tracks to have slot machines, a pivotal part of the bill that had passed — for a new bill. Lang came out with a new version, SB 1849, that he said scaled back the plan that had passed, and addressed some of Quinn’s concerns. The bill failed in the House during the legislature's 2011 fall veto session. 

But it would seem some attitudes have changed in the last year.

“When we have almost 8 percent of our people out of work, when we can’t cobble a state budget because we don’t have enough revenue, when the 30,000 or 40,000 jobs in the horse racing industry are disappearing, when our convention and trade shows are down — when they should be up — when thousands of our people every day get in their cars and drive through Chicago and the south suburbs of Cook County and spend their money in Indiana, I think this is much more than a bright shiny object. I think this is a imperative for state government to move this forward,” Lang, a Skokie Democrat, said during floor debate of his bill today.

The measure aims to open five casinos statewide, in Chicago, Park City, Danville, Rockford and in the south suburbs of Chicago. The exact location of the fifth casino would be up to the Illinois Gaming Board to decide. The bill includes slots at horse racing tracks but does not allow for slots at the Illinois State Fairgrounds or Chicago airports, which Quinn previously bashed publicly. The bill also aims to reduce the number of gaming positions available from 2,000 in the original bill to 1,600. Casinos currently are allowed 1,200 positions. The Chicago-owned casino proposed in the plan would be allowed 4,000 positions. Lang said the bill clarifies language about the oversight of the Chicago casino, something Quinn had cited previously as a concern.

According to Lang, the bill would direct all up-front licensing fees to pay down unpaid bills. Lang said the plan could pay off $1.2 billion to $2 billion in overdue bills. The legislation would provide a new inspector general for the Illinois Gaming Board and additional funding for that board. The plan also calls for $31 million to go to agriculture programs annually, $10 million to fix up the state fairgrounds and $10 million to go to gambling addiction services annually. Lang said the expansion could generate anywhere from $300 million to $1 billion for the state. He said the volatile economy makes estimating the total revenue difficult.

Supporters argued that gambling expansion could help bring in much needed revenue. “In the next week, we’re going to make some very, very, very difficult choices. This is the last place that we can go at this point to try and address some of the needs of our communities. So when you’re thinking about these appropriations committees and what we’re going to cut, remember that today … you’re going to have a choice. Do you want to raise money to help fill some of the problems and relieve some of the cuts?” Rep. Ed Sullivan, a Mundelein Republican, said during floor debate of the bill.

But some said lawmakers should not look to a gambling expansion to solve immediate budget woes. ‘If we’re talking about getting money to prevent the cuts that we’re going to have to make this year, it’s not going to happen,” said Rep. David Harris, a Republican from Arlington Heights. “It is not a windfall, so don’t go spending the money because it’s not coming in. Clearly there will be dollars coming into the state, but it’s not anywhere near what you think it’s going to be.”

Opponents called the promise of billions in revenue “fools’ gold.” “The amount of revenue generated is inflated, and they will not get that money for several years,” said Anita Bedell, executive director of the Illinois Church Action on Alcohol & Addiction problems. Bedell — who advocates on behalf of gambling addicts, the people she says are the collateral damage in such an expansion of gaming — said she was very disappointed in today’s vote. She noted that Quinn is unlikely to sign the legislation.

Earlier this week, Quinn warned against lawmakers losing focus on passing Medicaid and pension reforms by taking up gambling. “I’m not going to get distracted by that subject. Sometimes down here, shiny objects can distract people. We don’t want any of that this week.” Shortly after the House passed SB 1849, Quinn released a statement trashing the bill. “This new bill falls well short of the ethics standards I proposed in my framework last October. Most importantly, it does not include a ban on campaign contributions as lawmakers in other states have done to keep corruption out of the gambling industry and out of Illinois. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and bordering states like Iowa, Michigan and Indiana have all approved such bans,” Quinn said in prepared statement. “It does not provide the Illinois Gaming Board with sufficient time to make critical licensing and regulatory decisions. This bill also does not provide adequate oversight of the procurement process. It does not ensure clear oversight of the proposed Chicago casino.

“As long as I’m governor, I will not support a gambling bill that falls well short of protecting the people of Illinois. It is clear that this gaming bill still needs significant improvement.” Quinn urged lawmakers to turn their focus back to the subjects of Medicaid and Pensions.

“This is a governor who has said that it's perfectly OK with him and his administration promoting online sales of lottery tickets, so 12 million Illinoisans are gambling at home online. So to say a few hundred people can’t put a nickel in a slot machine at a race track where they are already gambling just does not make any sense to me,” said Lang. He said he is confident that the measure will pass in the Senate and head to Quinn’s desk.

If Quinn fulfills his promise of a veto, backers may be spending time this summer lobbying for votes to override Quinn in the fall veto session, when they will have plenty of lame duck lawmakers to call on for support.

House plans additional session to finish business incentive plan

By Jamey Dunn


UPDATED ON NOVEMBER 10: Speaker Michael Madigan announced on the House floor today that members of the chamber will return for session on November 29. That is a change from last night's announcement of November 21. 

Lawmakers will likely be returning to Springfield later this month to wrap up a plan intended to keep businesses in the state.

As the legislative session was drawing to a close this evening, it was announced on the House floor that legislators should be prepared to return to the Statehouse for session on November 21. Veto session was originally scheduled to last through tomorrow. “It will be an opportunity for the House Revenue Committee to report a tax incentive bill,” House Speaker Michael Madigan said after the announcement. When asked whether the tax incentive package, which began as a plan to keep the CME Group from making good on threats to leave the state, would be addressed, Madigan said, “That’s the plan.”

A spokesperson for Senate President John Cullerton said Cullerton is “surveying his members” to see if they are available for more session days.

Cullerton introduced a bill that would cut taxes for the CME Group, which owns the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade. CME representatives said the recent income tax increase would result in the company owing the state $158 million. Republicans demanded other business friendly provisions and said they would not support a bill that was geared to only one business. Sears is also looking for incentive to stay in the state. Since the introduction of the bill, wish lists from all sides have been piled on, and Madigan seems to be seeking more time to iron out a deal that can pass.

Additional session days would allow sponsors who have been unable to drum up support for their bills more time to try an find “yes” votes.

One such sponsor could be Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang. Senate Bill 1849, a revamped version of a gaming expansion package, failed to pass today in the House. Lang said yesterday that he was seeking a veto-proof majority, but the bill failed to gain even the simple majority needed to move it over to the Senate.

Lang said the new bill was a better version of a gaming package that lawmakers approved last spring. “This bill provides less gaming and more oversight.” He said he took Gov. Pat Quinn’s complaints about SB 744, which Quinn vowed to veto, under consideration when drafting the new plan. But in the end, the sticking point is allowing horse racing tracks to have slot machines. Quinn is opposed and Lang and Waukegan Democratic Sen. Terry Link, who is the gaming point man in his chamber, say a gambling expansion cannot pass in the legislature without them. Quinn’s office did not respond to an inquiry about the governor’s position on SB 1849.

“The first thing that the governor said was, No help for our agribusiness people. No help for central and southern Illinois. 'No help for you. You’re on your own. You’re on your own. Oh, we’ll continue to cut jobs in your communities. We’ll close facilities in your communities,'” Lang said during floor debate. “It would make me angry if I lived in central Illinois.”

Lang attempted to tweak legislative frustration with the governor toward his favor, but in the end, it may have been Quinn’s opposition that pulled off of this new bill at least some of the original 65 “yes” votes for the larger gaming package approved in spring.

Madigan said Quinn’s opposition to slots at horse racing tracks and what most see as an inevitable veto for SB 1849, if it should pass, may have damped support. “That could dissuade people from voting yes.”

“Clearly several people who voted for this in May did not vote for it today. I had several members who voted no last time that told me that they were going to vote yes today,” Lang said. “We’ll get to the bottom of it and figure out if we can find the necessary votes to pass it by tomorrow.”

Lang said legislators should not allow Quinn’s veto threats to sway their votes. “That happens around here a lot. And that would be not a proper way to make legislation. We have a Constitution that provides for three coequal branches of government, and I would hope that legislators would not abdicate their responsibilities under the Constitution worrying about what [the governor] might do if we pass a bill.”

Other issues could bleed into extra session days. House Minority Leader Tom Cross has yet to call, SB 512, his plan to reduce pension benefits for workers hired before reduced benefits kicked in this year. The deadline has passed to override Quinn’s budget vetoes, which include a cut to Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals and an unpopular cut to funding for school transportation. Without a corresponding rate cut, the Medicaid reduction would essentially push bills into next fiscal year. The vetoes stand, so lawmakers may look to make budget tweaks in the near future.

New gaming plan could cut out Quinn

By Jamey Dunn 

A sponsor of legislation to expand gambling in the state said he is looking for enough votes to override a potential veto from Gov. Pat Quinn.

Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang sponsored Senate Bill 744, which the General Assembly passed last spring. Senate President John Cullerton used a procedural move to hold the bill to try to negotiate with Quinn. However, Lang said the strategy did not work. “Throughout the summer, there were many meeting held with the governor, but none of those meetings are what you would call negotiations. There was never a point in time that the governor chose to negotiate,” Lang said. “And so we were left with trying to figure out how to handle this.”

During a news conference shortly before veto session began, Quinn said he would veto SB 744 if it were sent to his desk. He also detailed some suggestions for rewriting the bill. He said he supported new casinos but would not go along with allowing slot machines at horse racing tracks. He also raised concerns about the oversight included in the original plan.

Sen. Terry Link, sponsor of SB 744 in his chamber, introduced another bill, SB 747, during the first week of veto session that he said was based on Quinn's suggestions. Quinn came out strongly against Link's proposal, and the plan has not been called for a floor vote.

Lang said he tired to take Quinn’s thoughts — as well as criticisms from Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe, newspaper editorial boards and others — into account when drafting a new gaming expansion bill, SB1849. A House committee approved Lang's bill today.

The measure includes slots at horse racing tracks but does not allow for slots at the Illinois State Fairgrounds or Chicago airports. It would reduce the number of gaming positions available to casinos from 2,000 in the original bill to 1,600. They currently are allowed 1,200 positions. The Chicago-owned casino proposed in the plan would be allowed 4,000 positions. Lang said any unused positions at a facility could potentially be transferred to another casino that would use them. “It is in the benefit of our citizens to have all of those positions used.” Lang said that it would be up to the Gaming Board to create the procedure for transferring positions.

SB 1849 does not include a controversial provision that called for the Gaming Board to issue temporary licenses within 60 days of application to bars and restaurants seeking video gaming. The proposal was meant to spur the board to implement video gaming, which was approved as part of the funding for the state’s capital construction plan. So far, no licenses have been issued and no revenue from video gambling has come in.

Lang said some lawmakers were uncomfortable with issuing the temporary licenses. His new bill calls for the board to begin implementing video poker before any new casinos can be licensed and before horse tracks can get a license for a permanent location for slots. However, they would be able to operate out of a temporary facility, such as a tent. Lang said he wanted to ensure that the board did not “skip over” video poker to begin work on a gaming expansion. “That could be one machine, it could be 10,000 machines, but they’ve got to get it up and running.”

Lang said the legislation should clear up concerns about oversight of the Chicago casino. He said the ultimate authority would belong to the Gaming Board. Quinn complained that the city would be allowed too much regulatory leeway under SB 744.

But Lang’s stated goal of finding 71 “yes” votes in the House — enough supporters to override a veto from Quinn — indicates that he is less worried about pleasing the governor with his bill and more concerned with getting as much support from his fellow lawmakers as possible. While Quinn has yet to take a position on the plan, Lang's goal shows that he is anticipating a veto. A spokesperson for Quinn said his administration is “reviewing the proposal.” Quinn has said numerous times that he opposes allowing slots at horse racing tracks. He has said that such a proposal allows for too much gambling in the state and would lead to the cannibalization of business from existing casinos.

Current casinos owners oppose Lang’s plan for that very reason. “We’re not opposed to a casino in Danville. We’re not opposed to a casino in Rockford, Chicago, the Waukegan area. … We are opposed to the facilities right next door to existing casinos,” said Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino gaming association. Swoik said casino owners are not opposed to expansion as long as it is “reasonable” and in “new market areas.”

He added: “The state isn’t going to get the kind of money that they think they are going to get out of this. We’re just transferring gamblers from one area to another.”

But Lang said the bill would bring in roughly $1 billion in licensing fees in addition to future revenues from taxes paid by casinos and racetracks. “I think we’ve made a very good piece of legislation better; one that will raise billions of dollars for the state, one that will pay our old bills,” Lang said. “At a time when our unemployment rate has reached 10 percent, this is something that we must do.”

He said finding the backing for a veto proof majority is “not going to be easy,” and he is not above exploiting recent rifts between the governor and the legislature to rally the votes he needs. “I will use any legal means to get a veto proof majority to pass this bill.” He said Quinn’s proposal to close state facilities, his comments implying that campaign contributions influenced votes to override his veto on a smart grid plan and his refusal to negotiate about gaming caused some animosity toward the governor among lawmakers. “I think when the governor announced two weeks ago that he was not in favor of slot machines at racetracks, it made some people very angry. … I’m going to go to those legislators, and I’m going to get them angry.”

Lang said he hopes to call his bill for a floor vote tomorrow.

Plenty on the table heading into last week of veto session

By Jamey Dunn

When lawmakers return to Springfield to wrap up their veto session this week, borrowing to pay off the state’s backlog of overdue bills may be on the table, as well as several items of unfinished business from the session two weeks ago.

Borrowing
A new plan from Gov. Pat Quinn to borrow $4.5 billion to pay down some of the state’s overdue bills could surface this week. Quinn pitched an $8.75 billion borrowing plan in his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal, but it never gained traction. House Minority Leader Tom Cross said the idea of a smaller borrowing package came up in leader’s meetings last week and that Quinn voiced interest in engaging in some horse trading — Republican votes on a borrowing plan for his support of a business friendly tax incentive package. A spokesperson for Quinn said that the governor pitched the idea as part of an overall “jobs creation” package. Paying vendors could potentially halt layoffs and would inject billions into the state’s economy.

Rushville Democratic Sen. John Sullivan, who sponsored a package of borrowing bills, said legislators are coming around to the idea. “I’ve been talking to a lot of members and colleagues about the issue and trying to explain to them why we need to pay our bills. … And I feel that there has been momentum.” While some lawmakers may be warming to the idea, recent polling shows voters are not. A Paul Simon Public Policy Institute survey of 1,000 Illinois voters found that only 39 percent favored borrowing to address the backlog. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. "If every dime of that borrowing package were dedicated to paying past-due bills and making pension contributions on time, it might be something citizens would be willing to tolerate," institute Director David Yepsen said in a prepared statement. "Even that would be a tough sell, since many voters thought the last round of tax increases were supposed to pay bills on time, and they don't feel that happened."

Sullivan said that he is not working directly with Quinn on a revamped plan, but he said he is willing to tweak his legislation in whatever ways needed to garner support. When Sullivan called a measure to borrow about $6.2 billion for a vote in the spring, it only got 19 “yes” votes. “I definitely think that we’re at a better place now than we were when the plan was introduced,” he said. At least one Republican vote will be needed in his chamber for borrowing legislation to pass.

Business package
Lawmakers will likely consider a second incarnation of a tax incentive package meant to keep large businesses in the state. Senate President John Cullerton sponsored a plan to offer a tax cut to the CME Group, which owns the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade, to keep it from moving out of state. Terrence Duffy, chairman and chief operating officer of the CME Group, starting making such threats after realizing that the company would pay more than $150 million in income taxes under the state’s recent income tax increase. During a committee hearing on the measure last week, Republicans said they could not support giving target breaks to one company. They said they wanted a broader relief package that would help out other businesses, too.

A revamped plan could offer relief to Sears, which has also threatened an exit, as well as some generally business friendly sweeteners, such as an extension of a research and development tax credit.

Collective bargaining
House Speaker Michael Madigan pitched a resolution that would allow the legislature to get involved in bargaining union contracts.

Under the plan, both chambers would agree to put a spending cap on how much the governor can offer public employee unions in wage increases under a new contract. Current contracts are set to expire in 2012. “What we’re talking about is about a two-and-a-half-year obligation on spending. Well, I think the legislature has a rightful place in this bargaining,” said Madigan when the resolution was read on the House floor two weeks ago.

Traditionally, the legislature has not been at the forefront of contract negotiations. But lawmakers became frustrated with Quinn after he promised no public union employee layoffs through the end of the current fiscal year. Quinn has since gone back on that promise by backing a plan for layoffs and facility closures. He also froze union pay raises included in contracts. Quinn said both moves are necessary because the legislature did not include enough money in the budget to cover personnel costs and keep basic services running through the end of the fiscal year. Union officials say that Quinn has violated their contract and are taking the state to court.

Cross went one further than Madigan, proposing an amendment that would halt pay increases until the state has had a budget surplus for two years. “Our priority is on the protection of jobs in this state and ensuring that we get our fiscal house in order above all else,” Cross said in a written statement. “We should not enter into any new contracts that guarantee wage and benefit increases at a time when the governor is talking about closing seven state facilities that serve those with mental health needs, at-risk youth, and house dangerous criminals.” The Republican leader has said the facilities Quinn want to shutter are primarily in Republican districts and accused Quinn of playing politics when choosing his closure targets.

Madigan called upon the House Revenue and Finance Committee to set the number for the cap. The committee may also consider Cross’ proposal. The House Revenue and Finance Committee has two hearings scheduled for next week. The first is scheduled for today.

Insurance Exchange
Legislators may also consider a pivotal component of the federal health care reform law. Illinois is working to set up its own insurance exchange, an online marketplace meant to drive down the cost of insurance policies by encouraging competition. Health care advocates are pushing for lawmakers to approve legislation that would determine who would serve on the board overseeing the marketplace and who would ultimately pay for the exchange. “We want the state to move forward, and we are optimistic,” said Jim Duffett, executive director of the Campaign for Better Health Care.

The major sticking point is who will be eligible to sit on the board. Advocacy groups want insurance industry insiders barred from holding any voting power, because they could potentially profit from board decisions. They say those in the industry should hold purely advisory positions. Duffett said the board should be made up of “health care experts, small business owners and consumers.” He likened allowing insurance professionals voting power to letting a fox into the hen house.

Representatives of the industry say their hands-on expertise is needed on the board to shape an exchange that works well in practice. “To suggest that insurance expertise should be prohibited on the board, as some have … we believe is analogous to suggesting that an aeronautical engineer should be prohibited from serving on the board of Boeing Aircraft,” said Phil Lackman, Illinois vice president of government relations for the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

The House Insurance Committee has a hearing scheduled for Tuesday. “We do believe that there will be some action taken on Tuesday,” Duffett said.

Gambling
Supporters of a gaming expansion package are still looking for a plan that can pass in the legislature and get Quinn’s support. Quinn is opposed to Senate Bill 744, which passed last spring and would allow for five new casinos and slots at horse racing tracks. Quinn laid out his recommendations days before the veto session started, and Sen. Terry Link, sponsor of SB744, backed a bill that he said was based on those suggestions. Quinn did not agree and opposed the bill. Link held off on calling the legislation, SB747, last week and said he wanted to continue talks with Quinn.

This week, Quinn said that he was not engaged in negotiations on gaming. He said passing an expansion is not one of his priorities, but he is “open minded” about the concept. After meeting with Quinn last week, Cullerton told reporters that he was optimistic about finding a compromise. “I expect we will have a gaming bill going on next week as well. … We had a lot of productive input from the governor in ways in which we could correct the bill that we did pass. I can’t say we’ve narrowed the differences to agreement, but I think we’ve made a lot of progress. A lot of reforms suggested by the gaming board, we can incorporate into the bill.” More than half — 57 percent — of respondents in the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute survey said they backed expanded gambling as a way to bring in more state revenue.