Republicans seek to fund construction by expanding gambling
House Republicans restarted the capital construction debate on Monday with a
plan to boost gambling opportunities at existing riverboats. "It has been
seven years since we made a major investment in our infrastructure," said
House Republican Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego. "We believe the plan we are
putting forth today is reasonable and responsible." The proposal would
provide $3 billion for mass transit and road construction, $500 million for
building and renovation projects on university and community college
campuses and $1.5 billion for the state's school construction grant program.
The first $149 million of that would cover the two dozen school districts
that have been waiting on promised grants since the program ran out of money
in 2002. The rest could be used to help fix crumbling buildings, deal with
overcrowded schools or house new cooperative high schools across Illinois.
To pay for it, the state would raise about $500 million by selling existing
riverboats the rights to a total of 6,000 new gaming positions. Those slots
are expected to bring in $450 million a year in new revenue at the existing
riverboat tax rate. House Republicans called the program fiscally
responsible, and noted that it does not call for any new tax hikes. But they
are likely to face immediate criticism from both the horse racing industry
and anti-gambling groups, not to mention competing proposals from members of
the majority party. Multiple capital proposals have been introduced in
recent years, but each one was derailed by disagreements over what projects
would be included and how the bonds would be repaid. House Democrat
spokesman Steve Brown noted that House Republicans were among the chief
objectors. "It's heartening, I guess, to see that the Republicans have come
out of the slumber they have been in," Brown said on Monday. "It's been
several years that they have been dragging their feet and there are needs up
and down the state." Cross said his party's past concerns involved selling
bonds without providing a specific revenue stream from which to repay them.
State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, acknowledged gambling was a controversial
way to provide that revenue stream, but called the House Republican plan a
good starting point. "We are willing to listen to a reasonable alternative,"
he said.
plan to boost gambling opportunities at existing riverboats. "It has been
seven years since we made a major investment in our infrastructure," said
House Republican Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego. "We believe the plan we are
putting forth today is reasonable and responsible." The proposal would
provide $3 billion for mass transit and road construction, $500 million for
building and renovation projects on university and community college
campuses and $1.5 billion for the state's school construction grant program.
The first $149 million of that would cover the two dozen school districts
that have been waiting on promised grants since the program ran out of money
in 2002. The rest could be used to help fix crumbling buildings, deal with
overcrowded schools or house new cooperative high schools across Illinois.
To pay for it, the state would raise about $500 million by selling existing
riverboats the rights to a total of 6,000 new gaming positions. Those slots
are expected to bring in $450 million a year in new revenue at the existing
riverboat tax rate. House Republicans called the program fiscally
responsible, and noted that it does not call for any new tax hikes. But they
are likely to face immediate criticism from both the horse racing industry
and anti-gambling groups, not to mention competing proposals from members of
the majority party. Multiple capital proposals have been introduced in
recent years, but each one was derailed by disagreements over what projects
would be included and how the bonds would be repaid. House Democrat
spokesman Steve Brown noted that House Republicans were among the chief
objectors. "It's heartening, I guess, to see that the Republicans have come
out of the slumber they have been in," Brown said on Monday. "It's been
several years that they have been dragging their feet and there are needs up
and down the state." Cross said his party's past concerns involved selling
bonds without providing a specific revenue stream from which to repay them.
State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, acknowledged gambling was a controversial
way to provide that revenue stream, but called the House Republican plan a
good starting point. "We are willing to listen to a reasonable alternative,"
he said.
Getting the three-fifths majority needed to pass a capital plan this year
won't be easy, but desperation could help drive a compromise.
"The pent-up desire to do it is there," Black said. "Talk and fingerpointing
for the last four years hasn't solved the potholes, hasn't taken care of the
backlog in school construction grants."
He said he hoped at least some of the money would be used for the
long-awaited Lincoln Hall renovation project at the University of Illinois.
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