2008 Woodie Awards
Topinka confident about Chicago casino
Issue date: 10/2/06 Section: News Briefs
- Page 1 of 1
Republican candidate for governor Judy Baar Topinka said Thursday she's confident lawmakers would approve the Chicago casino that's a key component of her proposed budget plan.
Topinka, who first proposed her plan last month, said she has talked to lawmakers who were interested in the idea before and "will be interested again.'"
She contends her budget plan, which also includes increasing gaming positions at the state's nine riverboat casino's, would raise the needed money to pay for schools and roads and allow the state to fund its pension obligations.
Past efforts to approve a Chicago casino have collapsed amid demands for casinos in other cities, aid for horse racing and other add-ons.
Topinka's other budget plans include controlling Medicaid costs, cutting pork-barrel spending and eliminating some jobs she says Gov. Rod Blagojevich has created.
Blagojevich aides have been quick to criticize Topinka's plan and accused her of flip-flopping on gambling.
Blagojevich campaign spokeswoman Sheila Nix did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday.
Topinka has acknowledged she's not excited about gambling but sees it as a possible solution to the state's financial issues.
The extra money Topinka says her plan would generate for the state would mean property tax relief for homeowners. Her proposal includes a two-year freeze on property taxes tied to education funding. That money to school districts would be replaced by the increased money she says her budget proposal would generate.
Topinka came to a neighborhood in this Chicago suburb to promote the tax-freeze part of her plan, which she says would provide more than $2.4 billion of property tax relief statewide.
"We all know property taxes are too high and you all know we have to do something about it. And nothing is happening," Topinka said. "Well, we intend to do something."
Topinka, who first proposed her plan last month, said she has talked to lawmakers who were interested in the idea before and "will be interested again.'"
She contends her budget plan, which also includes increasing gaming positions at the state's nine riverboat casino's, would raise the needed money to pay for schools and roads and allow the state to fund its pension obligations.
Past efforts to approve a Chicago casino have collapsed amid demands for casinos in other cities, aid for horse racing and other add-ons.
Topinka's other budget plans include controlling Medicaid costs, cutting pork-barrel spending and eliminating some jobs she says Gov. Rod Blagojevich has created.
Blagojevich aides have been quick to criticize Topinka's plan and accused her of flip-flopping on gambling.
Blagojevich campaign spokeswoman Sheila Nix did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday.
Topinka has acknowledged she's not excited about gambling but sees it as a possible solution to the state's financial issues.
The extra money Topinka says her plan would generate for the state would mean property tax relief for homeowners. Her proposal includes a two-year freeze on property taxes tied to education funding. That money to school districts would be replaced by the increased money she says her budget proposal would generate.
Topinka came to a neighborhood in this Chicago suburb to promote the tax-freeze part of her plan, which she says would provide more than $2.4 billion of property tax relief statewide.
"We all know property taxes are too high and you all know we have to do something about it. And nothing is happening," Topinka said. "Well, we intend to do something."
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