Gambling with Illinois' Future

A budget standoff among the Democrat leadership in Springfield may finally allow Republican input if no agreement is reached Thursday, but until then all bets are off. Tribune with a story and editorial on more casinos as the sticking point:

The even more egregious proposal -- allegedly sidelined Tuesday, but the session isn't over till it's over -- would divert to many of the Emerald investors the roughly $33 million they dumped into a casino project they thought would make them multimillionaires. If citizens have to pay out this money, it'll be a pure rip-off -- and any Illinois legislator who plays along with Jones should have to eat that vote for the rest of his or her career. Remember, Emerald imploded because the Illinois Gaming Board learned that its officials had repeatedly lied to state investigators and had tolerated investors with alleged mob connections. If the investors feel cheated, they can pursue lawsuits against those Emerald officials.

The Tribune goes on to list those highly-connected investors.

Too many legislators and public officials mix the personal and political, viewing the public dime as their own personal piggy bank. Enough. They are gambling with the future of Illinois, squandering taxpayer dollars on pet projects for their friends while the state is mired in debt.