* The Tribune has more on the proposed Chicago casino…
Within the past 10 days, Emanuel held three meetings at his fifth-floor City Hall office to pitch the idea of a Chicago casino and discuss the city’s government worker pension challenges, a source familiar with the discussions said. The mayor had a joint meeting with House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, a second meeting with Rauner and a third with Republican legislative leaders, the source said.
Under Emanuel’s vision, the city would own the casino and keep all profits beyond paying an operator to run the facility and whatever taxes it might owe the state. All of the state’s current casinos are privately owned and the cities in which they’re located make money from local taxes based on how much the casinos make.
* As usual, reporters up there are all over this thing…
The governor stated he knows that “Chicago would very much like to have a casino within the City boundaries,” and he said he is “Very open to considering it.” And, while noting that he is not a “fan of gaming,” he said for the second time this morning that he is “open to considering gambling expansion, whether it is for the city of Chicago or other places [in the state].” Moreover, the Governor noted, “A casino certainly can be a job creator and a tax revenue generator, so those are both two good things.” […]
And then, prompted by yet another question on the “Media’s topic du jour,” the Governor said essentially for the third time within a few minutes, “I will be very open minded to working closely with the City [of Chicago] and with communities around the state to discuss this gaming issue and try to come to some resolution fairly promptly.” He did, however, duck an invitation to weigh in on whether, if there is a Chicago casino, he supported it being State owned or Chicago owned.
The Governor concluded his discussion of this topic, in response to yet another gaming question, by noting that his team was “Studying strategically the gaming industry and looking at the revenue and volume of activity.” He said, “You know you can’t just expand gaming to the sky and get the same benefit relative to the cost. So, you’ve got to be thoughtful and we should look at what maximizes the benefit to the people of Illinois– and try to come to that as the solution.”
* But…
While Rauner didn’t slam the door shut Monday, he also hinted that gambling legislation could get caught up with his own ambitions to win wide-reaching pro-business changes and scale back union power.
“As part of anything else that we talk about, we want to get our turnaround agenda done,” Rauner said when asked if he would require Emanuel’s support for some portions of his agenda in exchange for a Chicago casino.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:13 pm:
Good news for Rivers.
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
Guess what? Bruce may have to disappoint Rahm…
- Get a Job! - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
If Rauner is really planning for his turnaround agenda to supercede all legislation we’re in for a long 4 years…..and Rauner will be a do-nothing Governor.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
At some point, your leverage tool becomes an albatross around your neck to getting anything done.
Chicago has gone this long without a casino, advancing the Dopey “Tournaround Agenda” isn’t enough for many Dems or Republicans to get off the dime and vote… for both.. and especially for the “Tournaround Agenda” first, and hope Rauner’s word is good for what they want next.
Albatrosses get heavy. Fast.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Just like most gaming bills, this one got too heavy to carry. The upside is that Rauner didn’t leave everyone hanging the way Quinn used to. So that’s a positive I guess.
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
I told you to name the casino after him!
- Anonin' - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
Thank goodness the EIG and those other alphabet groups read the newspaper or else this pay to play stuff might cause some nervous nellies to all anxious
- Wensicia - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:25 pm:
Is there anything not held hostage by Rauner’s turnaround agenda?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:27 pm:
===Is there anything not held hostage by Rauner’s turnaround agenda?===
Nope.
Single-mindedness.
- Chicago Publius - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:30 pm:
Mayor Daley and now Rahm always claim(ed) that they want the city taxpayers to get the benefit of a city casino — but whenever legislators suggest that the casino be owned and operated by independent trustees who have a fiduciary duty to the city taxpayers, the mayors strenuously object. Why is that? Because they wouldn’t be able to control the contracts and the hires - and they wouldn’t be able to control the flow of money from the casino to city coffers. If reporters really want to do their jobs as “watchdogs” instead of lapdogs, they should ask Rahm: would you support a city casino that is held in trust by trustees whose only fiduciary duty is to the city and its taxpayers?
And here’s another wrinkle worth considering: why not give casino ownership to the pension funds that the City has stiffed for lo these many years? Rahm and his crack-staff like to cry that the City doesn’t have money to pay back the pension for all those years of taking pension holidays, but they never seem to want to discuss the fact that the City has other assets that it could use to honor its debt. How about legislation that grants a casino license to the city pension funds, in lieu of money? Appraisers can appraise anything — and the pension funds could easily put that new value on their books.
Just don’t convey the casino license in a way that allows Rahm and his successors to (mis)manage the casino like they’ve (mis)managed everything else.
- ZC - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:37 pm:
In some ways to be fair it’s kind of refreshing, to have a Republican who is as tough-minded and as hard a bargainer as Rauner. He gives nothing away for free. It’s hard to fault him overmuch for that alone; Madigan is also a hard bargainer who exploits signs of weakness in his opponents.
It’s too bad that like 2/3 of Rauner’s policy ideas he’s such a hard bargainer on, are really bad ideas for Illinois. Tough will + not really that much actual knowledge of policy = dangerous combo.
- Rod - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:37 pm:
Well there is another interesting aspect to this and that is if the Governor’s statement “As part of anything else that we talk about, we want to get our turnaround agenda done,” does he mean any Chicago Casino must be located in a right to work zone within the City?
- Obamas Puppy - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
Talk about hostage taking…
- Aldyth - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 12:57 pm:
Illinois held hostage to Rauner’s obsessions, Day 114.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:06 pm:
Next, Bruce Rauner attempts to put locks on the lege’s bathrooms.
“No pee pee until my turnaround agenda passes. What’s that on my leg?”
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:08 pm:
“I’m the worst enemy you can have.”
Bruce Rauner to the mirror every morning.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:14 pm:
is the AFSCME contract hostage, too? Or — I guess the real question: is the actual functioning of the state — by the workers who do the jobs — subject to this nonsense, too?
Man, he seems to be making a classic blunder. First, he’s not going to get everything he wants. He’ll get some maybe, but not everything.
But more importantly: once someone entrenches like this and extracts a few painful concessions — the payback (or, revenge — depending on how dramatic you view the whole thing) will be severe. Like, really severe — for Rauner.
He can play this game once. But once this round is over, he can’t do it again.
- Keyser Soze - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
Fix it or nix it…………has a nice ring.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:24 pm:
At least the Governor is consistent. His Turnaround Agenda or nothing else gets done. God help us all.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
I think he’s going to drop to the floor, kick and spin while thrashing his arms, while threatening to hold his breath.
Rauner is acting like a typical rich brat demanding his way at a toy store.
“ALL THE OTHER STATES HAVE THEM!”
“WHY CAN’T I?”
“I WON’T DO IT UNTIL I GET ONE!”
“NO. I WON’T PLAY WITH THEM UNTIL THEY STOP BEING MEAN!”
“YOU’RE NOT BEING FAIR!”
“THAT’S IT! I’M TELLING EVERYONE THAT YOU ARE ALL BAD PEOPLE WHO HATE ME!”
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:37 pm:
Frenchie, everything is held hostage. Gov’s office bathroom is limited to turnaround supporters only.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
VM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
To clarify–not about VM, but a good description of the Gov’s behavior.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 1:59 pm:
A Chicago casino makes sense so in Illinois it probably will not happen.
- Buzzie - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:05 pm:
Maybe Rauner would get Meatloaf to reconsider and perform at the State Fair if Springfield passed his turnaround agenda.
- Enviro - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:08 pm:
Two years ago - Quinn: No new casinos without pension reform.
This week - Rauner: Turnaround Agenda before Chicago casino.
Déjà vu. We have already seen this movie.
- HangingOn - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:10 pm:
Sadly, I just realized my 10 year old, ADHD, special needs child uses the same tactics (I’ll do this if you let me have that) to try to get things from me. Doesn’t work for her, either…
- Under Further Review - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:13 pm:
I thought that the Rivers Casino was promised that there would be no further expansion of casino gambling for years after they made the bid for the unused license.
Did anyone ever calculate how much revenue the State of Illinois lost while the casino license was inactive? I mean from the time that the East Dubuque riverboat closed and the Des Plaines casino opened?
- PublicServant - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:18 pm:
UFR, we’ve seen how, to the state, promises are subject to interpretation, even constitutionally-protected ones…
- Anonin' - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:20 pm:
Lookeeee here..She can start by asking BVR exactly what he meant to when he told a mayor or legislator that when they gave hi X he would give Y….you pay and we pay….under oath!
- a drop in - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:27 pm:
Rich, maybe the next QOD should be: “Turnaround agenda before __________”
Example: Rauner: “Turnaround agenda before I let the Cubs win the world series.”
- walker - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:43 pm:
Has Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” been refined down from the dozen or so things he has published?
Do we know just what he and his are really negotiating for before discussing revenue?
Hate to say it, but even at this late date, it’s hard to know what Rauner and team are talking about.
Can we use Term Limits, Remapping Reform, and Pension Restructuring as the current shorthand summary?
- forwhatitsworth - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 2:54 pm:
New revenue source idea! “Pay-to-pee” restrooms in public places like those that are very popular in Europe!
- walker - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 3:00 pm:
Oops. I forgot “Right To Work” as a key part of the “Turnaround Agenda” in comment above 2:43.
See what I mean? What is Rauner talking about when he and his use the term?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 3:44 pm:
This might have disaster written all over it…
@Suntimes: Gov. Rauner to make rare address to Chicago City Council on Wed to tout ‘turnaround agenda.’
I’d love to see that…
- James - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 4:07 pm:
Eat your vegetables, kids, and then you can have dessert.
As Lucy said: “It tastes good, too!”
- Outsider - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 5:03 pm:
So, the game should be played.
Mr. Governor, you can either have this portion of your “turnaround” or none at all. Which would you prefer.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 6:03 pm:
There are a few things in the Turnaround Agenda that I feel have some merit. A majority of it would have negative consequences for working people IMO and I don’t see a majority of it ever passing regardless of whether Rauner threatens to hold more pressing matters such as the FY2016 budget or even Chicago Casinos hostage until he gets what he wants.
- King George - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 6:43 pm:
Can Rahm (and Preckwinkle) agree to a property tax cap and freeze?
- ash - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 7:28 pm:
The Charleston City Council just voted to rescind their previous resolution.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, May 5, 15 @ 8:41 pm:
Rauner should have baited the Chicago City Council at the beginning.
Nothing would have helped Rauner more throughout much of the state than a strong rejection in Chicago.
Kind of basic politics. You knew the rejection would be coming, anyway; why not use it to your advantage among the persuadable?
- Carhartt Representative - Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 7:40 am:
Illinois workers who don’t want to be compensated for injuries suffered on the job should have a choice.
- walker - Wednesday, May 6, 15 @ 8:06 am:
Carhartt Rep: Boom!