Cook County Blog

On a smaller scale, Governor Quinn's capital improvement plan is the equivalent of the Stimulus Package; a waste of taxpayer dollars to be thrown at improving roads, bridges, etc. And the jobs that it would produce would only be temporary; they would go away when these projects are completed.   Quinn's plan involved the assumption that a hefty revenue stream would be pouring in from videogaming to pay for it.

Knowing the history of problems in Illinois with graft and lobbyists, special interests and union organizers, it should come as little surprise that Bridget Gainer, was, according to the Southwest News Herald:

appointed by Chicago Machine committeemen to succeed Mike Quigley in the 10th district in Chicago,

Gainer is a former lobbyist for AON, and her father is Bill Gainer, who is personal friends with the Daleys.  In fact, she-

received at least $2,000 from casino-related interests to her election campaign committee three weeks before proposing the video gaming machine ban.

So we can see the handwriting on the wall here.  With cash incentives, Gainer then proceeded to artificially influence the marketplace and take away the casinos' competition for the revenues.  Although, as some have pointed out, poor people tend to gamble; and in a sense, this is taking advantage of some of the most vulnerable among us.

Asked about Gainer receiving funds from two executive of the 10th Casino licensee, Midwest Gaming & Entertainment LLC, Pappas said that the vote might have been different at the Finance Committee if other commissioners knew.

There are more donations to Gainer from 'interested parties' that people should have been aware of:

On June 30, 2009, Gainer’s election campaign received $1,000 from Leslie Bluhm. Bluhm is listed on Gainer’s disclosure forms as working with “Lamb Partners.” On the same day, Gainer also received $1,000 from Gregory Carlin, who is also listed as an executive with at Lamb Partners.

Leslie Bluhm is the daughter of Midwest Gaming Chairman Neil Bluhm, and she is also a “partner” in Midwest Gaming. Gregory Carlin is President of Midwest Gaming. Neil Bluhm has many corporate interests in Illinois including Lamb Partners. He is also president of JMB Realty Corporation.

Gainer’s legislation was fast-tracked through the county board over the objections of several commissioners who asked that public hearings be held first. In fact, no "public hearings" were held on Gainer’s bill which sat dormant in the Finance Committee until Gainer asked Finance Committee Chairman John Daley to put the bill on an agenda for a vote. That vote was taken last Thursday, October 1, 2009 immediately after a few members of the public, last minute, were allowed to speak on the issue.

It is highly unusual for an appointee to become the point person for legislation like this.  It is even more unusual for legislation to be fast tracked so quickly without much of an opportunity for debate.  The measure was passed yesterday, October 6, when the full board voted on it. With the cigarette ban which has reduced revenue that would have poured into the Capital Improvement Program, and now this - Quinn is going to have to invent some additional ways to rape taxpayers to pay for it.