May 23, 2008

A Call to Action for Churches

HB 4758 Expands Gambling in Sangamon County Against the Wishes of Voters

This Memorial Day Week-end we remember those who fought and died for our freedom. We call the churches to action to protect the right of the voters in Sangamon County to vote before gambling is expanded here.

Representative Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) and Senator John Sullivan (D-Quincy) are sponsoring a bill to expand gambling at the State Fairgrounds against the wishes of the votes. HB 4758 passed in the House and will be heard in the Senate Executive Committee on May 28.

In 1994, when developers were working to put a riverboat casino in Sangamon County, a group of citizens circulated a petition to put a referendum on the ballot asking for the right to vote before gambling expanded in Sangamon County. The referendum passed in November, 1994 by 90% of the voters (63,880). The referendum has served Sangamon County well because elected officials adhered to the wishes of the voters until now.

House Bill 4758 will expand gambling at the State Fairgrounds from 6 days a year to up to 9 months a year. HB 4758 will also legalize 6 more Off Track Betting parlors in facilities that are over 30 miles from the Fairgrounds and expand gambling in other communities. This week the Illinois Works Coalition recommended legalizing electronic gambling (slot machines) at racetracks for capital construction projects. This would transform the State Fairgrounds racetrack to a land-based casino!

For Immediate Action

  1. Please use the above information, sermon starter, and Gambling Statistics in your church this Memorial Day week-end,.and speak out to protect the right of voters before gambling expands in Sangamon County.
  2. Encourage members of your congregation to call Senator John Sullivan (782-3875) and Senator Larry Bomke (782-0228) and ask them to respect the wishes of the voters in Sangamon County and to "table the bill" to expand gambling-House Bill 4758.

Sermon Starter

Expanded gambling has not proven to be a good economic development tool over the long term. The money derived from gambling quite often comes from the segment of society who can least afford it-the poor. If you look at cities with large gambling economies, you will also notice a distinct increase in public corruption. After paying for the by-products such as addiction, bankruptcy, crime, family problems, and other financial calamity, our state and local governments end up raising taxes on top of the expanded gambling.

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