2008 Legislative Candidate Survey Results
and Gambling Voting Records

#3: I don't know -- we need to protect horse breeding in Ill.

#5: Only if it is 10th license.

#10: I voted no this year.


I sponsor bills to prevent internet gambling & to prohibit payment by credit cards -- I am very concerned about access to gambling for children. Please keep me up to date on any solutions/suggestion to limit children's access.

If the 10th license goes to Chicago -- I believe more tourists would go than Illinois people.

#5, 9, & 14: Neutral

Expanding gambling or access to alcoholic beverages appears nowhere on my list of priorities. Therefore, I would be extremely reluctant to lossen any regulations. I don't believe that the state should tell Chicago whether or not it can have a casino and I am not familiar enough with regulations on charitable gambling to comment. I would like to see a bottle bill enacted that would place deposits on all beverage containers including alcoholic beverages. Keep up the good work!

I support not having liquor licenses within 100 feet of a school or church.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor who has worked in addiction and substance abuse treatment as well as from my personal experience growing up among the working poor, I understand the devastating impact addiction to substances and gambling can have on families and communities. My experience as a Masters' Level Forensic Psychologist who has worked extensively with court-ordered clients has led me to believe that the cost to society of fighting the drug war with police personnel rather than helping professions has been great. The economic costs along far outweigh the purported benefits of criminalizing drug offenses. Even more tragic, however, is the staggering rate at which we fill our prisons with drug offenders rather than providing treatment intended to alleviate the root causes of drug crime and substance use.

By legalizing marijuana and medicalizing narcotics we could remove the incentive that lures the impoverished into drug dealing by undercutting the illegal market and providing safe alternatives for addicts as they begin recovery. At the same time that we remove the legal barriers to seeking treatment, we can use the cost-savings from ending the drug war to reinvest in our communities and target the poverty and apathy that make drugs an appealing escape in the first place.

The violence and stigma that surround drug culture contribute greater human harm to our communities and families than the substances themselves. This is most evident when we recognize that a sensible policy of legalization and medicalization would ensure that people suffering from addiction could seek treatment without fear of legal repercussions. I understand the intuitive appeal of criminalizing harmful substances, but I don't think that addiction and substance abuse can be prevented with force.

Gambling Expansion:
I am interested in finding new sources of revenue to fund the state's key priorities of health care, education and public safety. I would be willing to consider gaming as a potential revenue options provided that safeguards are in place to ensure that the contracts are properly bid, communities are safeguarded against adverse effects, and that we have a commitment to where the money is going. I would be willing to consider approving a casino in Chicago, and potentially owned by the city. All the licenses should be awarded through competitive bidding.

I also would be willing to consider the lease of the Lottery to allow a private operator to manage the operation in order to generate revenue for the State's pressing capital needs. I do not support an expansion of Lottery games that are significantly different from those in place as of today.

I strongly support increasing funding for substance abuse treatment and prevention, and increased mental health services, treatment and access for addiction, be it drug, alcohol or gambling.

Drug Legalization:
I oppose legalizing marijuana

Alcohol Regulation:
I strong believe in doing everything we can to prevent underage use of liquor and tobacco. I also generally oppose granting liquor licenses for entities that are closer than 100 feet from a church or school. In the end, these community issues should be reviewed at a local level, with heavy community input, so that the decision is made by the people whom it would affect - not by Springfield. A community may find that the 100 feet rule doesn't account for the specifics of a situation (e.g. a high-rise that contains a restaurant on the roof and a school on the ground floor). In other situations, a community may find that the 100 feet rule doesn't nearly go far enough. I support requiring and open and transparent community process to ensure we meet our shared goals of protecting our children.

#6: I am opposed to gambling and the problems it creates. However, if the state provides better regulation and if this turns out to be the only alternative for raising the revenue, I would support it.

#9: possibly - only with the proper state regulations and only in specific locations.

#11: If medically controlled and dispensed for terminal illnesses.

I would support games such as bingo for fundraising for veteran's groups, churches + other not for profit groups. Decriminalizing marijuana in conjunction with drug abuse programs, I beleve, would be positive in reducing drug use in the long term. It would also relieve the burden on the penal system and reduce recidivism rates.

#6: I'd consider 1 more.

Re additional casinos: Though I'm generally opposed to expansion, there could be curcumstances under which I might consider one new license.

Re the Lottery lease, I want to see what the terms and regulations are in any final deal.

I would support some alcohol sold at college campuses in programs that were not sudent focused i.e., a corporate event held at a college facility such as a alumni reception (wine & cheese type event). However, alcohol at atheletic facilities geared towards undergraduates is not appropriate (i.e. college games or concerts, etc).

#10: at State Fairgounds only, not at county fairs.

#15: There are some exceptions

#14: Alcohol sold/served - Several schools have programs for catering cooking restaurants, one of them is in my district, Triton Community College. I voted to allow them to have the option.

#3: I support local control and would require a local Village Board to make the decision on whether to grant slot machines at a race track.

We should keep a firm rein on these activities, and at the same time increase funding and support for rehabilitation services which work.

[attachment missing]

#1: consider
Please review my voting record.

What your churches need is a voter registration drive and then a get-out-the-vote rally. Voter turnout in Aurora for the last Congressional race was 20%. In the last mayoral race (2005) it was 17% -- All the liberals won! My apponent Rep Linda Chapa La Via gets money from the casino owners.

#5: Maybe. There is a 10th license that may be used in Chicago.

I have decided that when I am elected I will not vote for an expansion of gambling to balance the budget. We should not balance our budget or create public works projects on gambling.

#14: With regulation.

#5: Undecided, may support with conditions

#14: with restrictons

If expanded casino licenses is the only way to achieve a badly needed jobs and infrastructure bill, then I will have to vote for it.

#12: unless located legally in a physician's office or medical facility

Gambling Expansion
As a citizen, taxpayer, and elected official it would be my preference that the State of Illinois develop different and more stable sources of revenue to fund services and programs rather than relying upon gambling and any expansion of gambling. However, given that the State of Illinois has relied upon gambling as a source of revenue for some time, it is important that whenever discussing modifications on this practice that a thorough examination on the impact of future funding for these very programs and services be seriously considered. Before making a decision to change the extent to which gambling has funded or could potentially fund any given program or service, I would want to make an informed decision based on the following: 1) will new money from another source be following a decrease in funding that previously was obtained through gambling initiatives; 2) what specific programs will benefit from the gambling expansion (e.g., education, funding pension obligation, capital improvements across the state, etc.); 3) does the community in which the gambling is proposed to take place support the initiative; and 4) will additional money be allocated to the prevention and treatment of addictive behaviors and social consequences which are often thought to follow the expansion of gambling into a community? As a current elected official at the county-level, I am proud of my efforts to respond to constituent concerns and represent the people who elected me into office. There are numerous, and often conflicting opinions, about the pros and cons of gambling and expansion initiatives. Even within the Christian community, different denominations have varying beliefs about the appropriateness of relying upon gambling as a revenue source. As the next State Representative of the 104th District, I would work diligently to develop and secure alternative sources of revenue (versus a growing reliance upon gambling), to make fiscally responsible decisions that strive towards more efficient management of our limited resources and to actively seek public input from my constituents in order to make a well-informed and representative decision on this sensitive topic.

Drug Legalization
I have worked in social services for nearly twenty years and have clearly seen the detrimental effects of alcohol and drug (both legally prescribed and illegally obtained) addiction upon people and the subsequent loss of an ability to care for themselves, their families and remain a productive member of society. Regardless of whether a substance is legally or illegally obtained, there is always the potential for overuse, dependence and addiction. If we, as a state and nation, are truly concerned with addressing the negative personal and societal ramifications of legal and illegal substance abuse, we need to honestly acknowledge and address: 1) the reality that an array of substances, many of which are obtained and ingested legally, have the potential for overuse and addiction; and 2) the underlying individual and societal variables which contribute to addictive behaviors. Further, we need to make a concerted effort to ensure that individuals who need legally prescribed medication for mental and physical health needs are able to do so under easily accessible, affordable and non-socially stigmatic psychiatric and/or medial supervision. As for the specific utilization of marijuana for medical treatment, I believe that as a legislator I would want to rely upon the expertise and recommendations of the medical profession who not only have made the commitment to do no harm to their patients, but who also clearly have more knowledge about best practices for the appropriate treatment of presenting disorders. Regarding my position on the decriminalization of marijuana, I would need more information on how this would impact the ability of the medical profession to implement best practice treatments for their patients.

We need to stop the excessive spending in this state. We must be upfront and honest in our funding of education in Illinois. We cannot expect to expand gambling and our problems will go away.

Enclosed Biography:

Dwight Kay was born in 1947 in Wheaton, Illinois.

Dwight Kay is a 1965 graduate of Wheaton High School. In 1970, Kay graduated from Taylor University in Indiana where he received a bachelor of arts degree in political science and business administration.

After graduation, Dwight Kay began his career at Cassens Transport. Since 1995, Kay has held the position of Vice President.

In 2004, Dwight Kay served as Finance Chairman for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier. Since 2004, Kay has been a member of the Illinois Chamber's Employment Law Counsel. In 2006, Kay served as Campaign Charman for Illinois Appellate Court Justice Stephen McGlynn. Kay is also the former chairman of the National Automobile Transporters Association Claims Council.

Dwight Kay is a member of Gideons International and an elder of Hope Presbyterian Church in Collinsville.

Dwight, along with his wife Nancy and his daughter Christy reside in Glen Carbon. His son Brad is a graduate of the University of Illinois and his daughter Christy attends Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

Thank you for sending me your questionnaire. As you know, I have served in the Illinois General Assembly for over 16 years. I am proud of my voting record during that time.

I believe my voting record is reflective of my position on various issues.

Thank you for you generous time and consideration.

Thank you for your interest in my candidacy for State Representative in the 113th District. As you may be aware, I ran unopposed in the February 5, 2008 Democratic Primary Election and I'm unopposed in the November 4, 2008 General Election.

Due to my lack of opposition, I regretfully and respectfully decline the opportunity to compete your survey. My legislative record should speak for itself.

Thank you again and I look forward to working with you in the future.

I would support any effort to eleminate gambling ENTIRELY. We should start with state sponsored gambling.

First thing I would do is find out where the money from the lottery & casinos went. Whose pocket did it go into, then prosecute the thieves.

I am not in a position to definitively comment one way or the other on the gaming issue. While I believe there are preferred way to raising revenue other than gaming, the Governor has basically taken them out of consideration.

If there is no alternative revenue stream to fund necessary programs, schools and health initiatives, some of the above may need to be considered. Thank you for your input and interest.

#1: Only with provisions in HB1496

#14 & 15: I will review on a case by case basis.

My opponent has very close ties to the leading advocate of medical marijuana in Illinois. As the spokesperson on the Senate Public Health Committee, I have spken out several times against this legislation and I will continue to do so in the future.

I'm generally in support of privatization of many government services and departments such as the lottery, especially if it can be done to yield higher income to the state.

The horse industry in Illinois is significant in that it employs vets, farms, feed, transport, etc. and am therefore inclined to allow for tracks to have limited gambling.

It is time we lived within our means and not attempt to balance budget on people we say we want to help. Gambling devastates the poor.

#5 & #7: Consider

I might consider the 10th casino license being located in the city of Chicago, absent Chicago (city) control or influence.

#1: Sell no, Lease possible

#7: Likely oppose

#8: likely oppose - no payout

#9: possibly