Video Gambling and the Illinois General Assembly’s addiction
Friday, I posted portions of a Chicago Tribune article dealing, in a general way, with some members of the General Assembly turning to extortion to try to limit the number of communities and counties who are sensibly rejecting video gambling within their jurisdictions. Why did some members of the General Assembly turn to extortion? They are addicted!
What is their addiction? The same addiction that seems to have permeated throughout governments throughout our nation from the federal government, to most States, to many local units of government. The State of Illinois, like many governments, is addicted to spending money!
From the Peoria Journal Star on February 17, 2010, page B3, the headline declares “Cigna owes $1.6 million to McDonough hospital.” From the article we learn that “McDonough District Hospital is owed $1.6 million by Cigna, the company that administers the Quality Health Care program for state employees. The backlog exists because the state has paid no money to the company.” The same tale is prevalent through out the State. The State is behind payments to many, if not all, its vendors, to State Universities, to public schools, to just about ever entity that deals with the State monetarily.
Why? The State has no money and is going farther and farther into debt each day. Why? The State is addicted to spending money!
From the Peoria Journal Star on February 19, 2010, page A4, the headline proclaims “Study: Illinois has most troubled pension system.” According to the news story, “States may be forced to reduce benefits, raise taxes or slash government services to address a $1 trillion funding shortfall in public sector retirement benefits, according to a new study that warns of even more debilitating costs if immediate action isn’t taken.” “Illinois was rated the most troubled pension system during the study period, with a 54 percent funding level (The State owes the fund almost as much as the fund has!—my addition) and a total liability of more than $54 billion.”
Is this amount figured into the State’s present budget deficit? No! It is a future liability. If it is a future liability, the State just seems to ignore the situation. “We’ll solve it down the road! We’ll solve it when we have more money!”
Why? The State has no money and is going farther and farther into debt each day. Why? The State is addicted to spending money!
Last year, as the State was struggling unsuccessfully to balance the State budget, a majority of each House of the General Assembly voted, in one day in the Senate and in two days in the House contrary to the Illinois Constitution, to spend $30 billion that the State did not have to finance a capital building project. About 30% of that new project was to be funded by a newly allowed video gambling program. A program that permits STATE SANCTIONED STEALING of up to 20% of all money played on each and every machine over the life of each machine.
Why? The State has no money and is going farther and farther into debt each day and therefore must create new sources of revenue no matter how immoral that source of revenue may be. Why? The State is addicted to spending money!
How do you stop an addiction? In the case of an alcoholic, the alcoholic must not consume alcohol. In case of a drug addict, the addict must not consumer the drug. In the case of a spendaholic, the money MUST BE CUT OFF!
The video gambling law MUST be repealed. Taxes MUST NOT be allowed to be raised in any form under any circumstances. And the General Assembly MUST balance the budget each year as required by law spending no more than is received. NEVER give a spending addict more money to spend! As recently elected New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said, “Higher taxes are the road to ruin!”
If not, the State will continue to be addicted to spending money! And our current crisis will continue to worsen!
Friday, I posted portions of a Chicago Tribune article dealing, in a general way, with some members of the General Assembly turning to extortion to try to limit the number of communities and counties who are sensibly rejecting video gambling within their jurisdictions. Why did some members of the General Assembly turn to extortion? They are addicted!
What is their addiction? The same addiction that seems to have permeated throughout governments throughout our nation from the federal government, to most States, to many local units of government. The State of Illinois, like many governments, is addicted to spending money!
From the Peoria Journal Star on February 17, 2010, page B3, the headline declares “Cigna owes $1.6 million to McDonough hospital.” From the article we learn that “McDonough District Hospital is owed $1.6 million by Cigna, the company that administers the Quality Health Care program for state employees. The backlog exists because the state has paid no money to the company.” The same tale is prevalent through out the State. The State is behind payments to many, if not all, its vendors, to State Universities, to public schools, to just about ever entity that deals with the State monetarily.
Why? The State has no money and is going farther and farther into debt each day. Why? The State is addicted to spending money!
From the Peoria Journal Star on February 19, 2010, page A4, the headline proclaims “Study: Illinois has most troubled pension system.” According to the news story, “States may be forced to reduce benefits, raise taxes or slash government services to address a $1 trillion funding shortfall in public sector retirement benefits, according to a new study that warns of even more debilitating costs if immediate action isn’t taken.” “Illinois was rated the most troubled pension system during the study period, with a 54 percent funding level (The State owes the fund almost as much as the fund has!—my addition) and a total liability of more than $54 billion.”
Is this amount figured into the State’s present budget deficit? No! It is a future liability. If it is a future liability, the State just seems to ignore the situation. “We’ll solve it down the road! We’ll solve it when we have more money!”
Why? The State has no money and is going farther and farther into debt each day. Why? The State is addicted to spending money!
Last year, as the State was struggling unsuccessfully to balance the State budget, a majority of each House of the General Assembly voted, in one day in the Senate and in two days in the House contrary to the Illinois Constitution, to spend $30 billion that the State did not have to finance a capital building project. About 30% of that new project was to be funded by a newly allowed video gambling program. A program that permits STATE SANCTIONED STEALING of up to 20% of all money played on each and every machine over the life of each machine.
Why? The State has no money and is going farther and farther into debt each day and therefore must create new sources of revenue no matter how immoral that source of revenue may be. Why? The State is addicted to spending money!
How do you stop an addiction? In the case of an alcoholic, the alcoholic must not consume alcohol. In case of a drug addict, the addict must not consumer the drug. In the case of a spendaholic, the money MUST BE CUT OFF!
The video gambling law MUST be repealed. Taxes MUST NOT be allowed to be raised in any form under any circumstances. And the General Assembly MUST balance the budget each year as required by law spending no more than is received. NEVER give a spending addict more money to spend! As recently elected New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said, “Higher taxes are the road to ruin!”
If not, the State will continue to be addicted to spending money! And our current crisis will continue to worsen!
posted by Christian Gunslinger at 4:17 AM
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