Jim Hickey letter to the editor on Casino expansion in Illinois

Dear Editor:

The Illinois legislature is recommending that the state add five new casino licenses. The reasoning is that the sponsors believe that more casinos will bring more revenues to the State of Illinois and help to off-set the financial problems we face.

In reality, though, the gaming legislation will undermine the revenues that the State and many local communities like this one already receive from local casinos. In the 11th Congressional District where I am running for office, we have three casinos. Those casinos not only provide revenue to the state, but they also provide revenue to local communities in the district.

One of the five casinos is being earmarked from Chicago. I believe that is a serious mistake. It will drain revenues from the outlying suburbs and undermine existing casinos.

We can't turn to simplistic answers to solve our economic problems. We need creative ideas. I have many that I believe will help strengthen our economy. They include eliminating interest rate charges on student loans to make it easier for graduating students to more actively engage our economy: provide free wireless internet to Illinois residents; and, we need to fix gasoline prices, a critical component for economic recovery and seek alternative sources of energy. These will help to create jobs and bottom line will put more money in the pockets of tax payers which means they will have money to spend to get this economy working again

We need to think outside of the old boxes we have built around ourselves. We need new and creative ideas.

Thank you

Jim Hickey

Candidate, 11th Congressional District

www.JimHickeyforAmerica.com