Pulse: Gaming back in Springfield again

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Joliet officials say slot machines at horse race tracks will only hurt business at local casinos. | AP file photo

Updated: December 29, 2011 8:06AM

State legislators head back to Springfield Tuesday, and they probably have gaming on their minds.

Gaming expansion has been dying in recent weeks, and that’s welcome news in Joliet, where both city officials and casino managers don’t want to see a new casino in the south suburbs or slot machines at horse race tracks.

“We know the governor is going to veto any bill that comes to him with slots at tracks,” said state Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi, D-Joliet, also opposed to gaming expansion proposals made this year.

Key numbers, Wilhelmi said are 36 and 71. That’s how many votes a bill will need in the Senate (36) and House (71) to not only get passed out of the legislature but sustain a veto from Gov. Pat Quinn.

Horses and human jobs

Slots at race tracks are now permitted in 14 states, the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association noted last week while announcing that it has a study showing the state’s gaming market can handle the extra business.

The horse racing industry says it’s in trouble without the better purses that would be possible with slot machine revenue.

About 30,000 jobs are at stake in Illinois, said association President David McCaffrey.

What jobs? Veterinarians, grain and hay farmers, truck and trailer dealers, trainers and groomers are some mentioned by the association — and even blacksmiths.

The phone’s ringing

The real estate recession may have put a lot of people out of work, but one group is getting business — attorneys who handle tax assessment protests.

Troy Township Assessor Patricia Gabrielson told the township board that her office and others are getting flooded with appeals against assessments made on commercial and industrial property.

“That’s all we’ve been doing on the phone is dealing with Chicago attorneys, Gabrielson said.

Save with Styrofoam

Will County Treasurer Steve Weber said he’s thinking outside the box — and using a cube — to save taxpayers money.

The county mails about 10,000 notices by certified mail every year when it prepares to sell unpaid property taxes, according to a press release. The mailing costs $36,190.

But Weber’s office said it’ll start slipping a one-inch Styrofoam cube into each envelope, meaning it can mail the notices as First Class Parcels “at a substantial savings.”

Bob Okon and Jon Seidel contributed to Pulse.