Chicago Casino Tax Break Pushed By Rahm Emanuel Costs IL Schools $100 Million
- Posted on October 4, 2011 at 3:33pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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Illinois Democrats, Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, have been in a squabble about a massive casino expansion that Illinois legislators passed last spring. The city-run casino would bring in revenue for Emanuel but Quinn has expressed concerns over gambling regulation and that the tax provisions for the casino are “regressive.” The Chicago Sun-Times reports Tuesday that a recent state anlaysis backs Quinn’s claims, revealing that the Emanuel-pushed tax breaks for casinos would end up costing Illinois’s schools $100 million over two years.
“I think it’s very important our state invest the maximum it can in education from birth on, so anything that would jeopardize that, I think, is suspect. We don’t want casino operators to make a lot of money for themselves but shortchange children through proper contributions to the school assistance fund. That’s where I’m coming from,” said Quinn to the Sun-Times. Quinn has still not been forwarded the legislation by the State Senate, and can still veto or rewrite the 400-page gambling bill.
Emanuel’s provisions in the bill reduces the tax rate on the highest-grossing casinos from 50% to 20%. The Mayor’s staff argues that the provision would help recoup start-up costs for a casino and will pay for infrastructure needs across Chicago. The Emanuel provision reducing the tax rate, however, will bring $123 million less to the state coffers writes the Sun-Times, and no other state has a declining tax rate for high-grossing casinos according to the Department of Revenue analysis.
In addition to the bill’s effect on public education in the state, the Chicago Tribune writes that the bill “essentially excludes the Gaming Board from areas where illicit political clout or organized crime have intruded at other casinos.”
The Illinois House Representative sponsoring the bill argues that the declining tax rate for casinos would not hurt Illinois school children, and schools statewide would stand to gain from the casinos’ $1billion-plus windfall in revenues.
“If there’s $1 billion in new money on the table that isn’t earmarked, we should earmark more for education. If we have to hold education harmless, it’s easy to put in the trailer bill,” Democratic State Rep. Lou Lang said to the Sun-Times. “It’s a stretch to say education won’t get this money. Education will get this money if we decide education gets that money.”
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MSpra
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 1:05pmDo you all remember the interview of the former PA Governor about his push toward gambling in his home state? He went a bit nuts at the interviewer…….. ‘You Just Don’t Get It’….. remember? Well now I guess people in Illinois just don’t get it either…. but the addicts get hooked. :(((((
Report Post »dirtydog1776
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:58amSorry, America, not much hope for a country whose main industries are government handouts, gambling, drugs and abortions.
Report Post »Tom70
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:21pmI wonder how much this lawyer will skim off that deal. One % of a Mil is $10K and 10% is $100K not bad for signing a piece paper.
Report Post »wildwood
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:55pmChicago asked for this!!!!! Seems like the new Mayor didn’t listen to Obama , he want to spread the wealth around amoung the rich, not interested in education!!!!
Report Post »IntegrityFirst
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:53pmI don‘t a rat’s backside if gambling is a “regressive” “tax” because it‘s your friggin’ money so you have every right to lose it all at a casino if you want.
Report Post »Carol Wilson
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:25pmWe must elect conservatives who have the guts to stand up to these thugs, investigate to the fullest, and expose all their misdeeds–at all levels. What is it about these people who claim to be on our side to get our votes, and then do a belly flop?
Report Post »FearlessInfedel62
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:40pmYou wanted this crook to run the store, why are you complaining?
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:30pmMore DemonCrat CORRUPTION
Report Post »weneedrubio
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 11:28amIf this issue is not proof that Democrats, especially liberals, don‘t know squat about economics I don’t know what is. Gambling is regressive in every way especially economically. It takes a liberal not to see the waste innate in this industry and it is a huge tax on the poor that is being touted as a remedy for their ills. The dishonesty of the liberal Democrats is breathtaking and they will argue that people like me are racists simply because we believe the obvious, gambling is bad for everyone involved period. It takes a liberal to find something that is universally bad and call it good, unbelievable!
Report Post »jessieH
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 11:07amChicago is letting this happen? Then they deserve what they get.
Report Post »don young
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 10:33amIf we dont get rid of people like rahm and the rest of the thugs they are going to destroy the united states all the chicago thugs even obama need to go there way has failed and we are paying for it.
Report Post »Pokerjoe
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 9:33amKick back Chicago
Report Post »olddog
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 9:11amRahm must be loosing at Black Jack or maybe he’s just planning on building a new home.
Report Post »Doesn’t matter to be if they close all the schools there, it’s Illinois. These folks are gonna reap what they’ve sewn..
the point
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:29amGhicago thuggery at its best. Way to go Ron. Yea.
Report Post »PingPongPing
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:58amThe hippies/liberal drones at NYC ought to pack up their bags and protest in Chicago about the how the Rich Casinos are NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE…..
Report Post »Indymaverick
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:03amTypical Chicago.Nothing new.
Report Post »johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 4:58amWow! And how much money will the casino generate in political contributions for Rahm? This reminds me of a scam run by a US President who set-up bogus loan guarantees through his Department of Energy to enable huge kickkbacks to flow to his relection campaign! His DoJ was simultaneously selling guns to Mexican drug cartels resulting in the murder of a US Border Agent. Both the President and his AG were sunbsequently arrested, tried and convicted of treason. Both were hung on Christmas morning, 2013 and the nation rejoiced!
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 3:37amChicago gets what it deserves it voted for it, It loves its Rahm then let them foot the bill for his stupidity.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:36amSounds great to me, as Chicago Schools are just producing Communists, Anarchists, and Radicals!
Report Post »john mateyko
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:32amWait, so lower tax rates are bad when a Democrat proposes them?
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 4:38amI was ready to write the very same thing. Funny that when things work to their advantage they just overlook it and turn a blind eye and a deaf ear.
Report Post »LaidBackTaps
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:52amAnother Brilliant Column On How Awful Things Are Here In Illinois, I am surrounded by Liberal Fools..
N+OBAMA 2012
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:14amChicago, you get what you deserve. You voted this criminal slime into office, now you’ve got him. You knew he had cronies and that he was going to pay them off. Now it‘s ’news? Sorry. You ASKED for this. Now you have it.
Report Post »olddog
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 9:15amA conservative in Illinois? Get your family our of there before the storm of total destruction.
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