BELVIDERE — If Rockford were to get state approval for a casino, the Boone County Board says the city should share tax revenue with neighboring communities.
House Bill 3564, introduced to the Illinois General Assembly on Feb. 26 by Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, would allow Winnebago County one license for a riverboat casino. But the bill could also be a starting point for lawmakers to work toward a bill that allows a brick-and-mortar casino.
"Drinking and gambling ... I don’t like that as a revenue source, but if we’re going to do it, and if a lot of people in our community patronize that kind of thing, then I think it’s fair that we share in the local contributions to the revenue stream," said Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg.
On Feb. 18, Walberg wrote a letter to Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, on behalf of the Boone County Board asking that he consider a population-based revenue sharing plan if a casino were approved.
The plan would give 43 percent of gaming tax revenue to Rockford, 29 percent to Winnebago County, and 7 percent each to Machesney Park, Loves Park, Belvidere and Boone County.
“The Rockford region has been especially hurt by the ‘Great Recession,’ and our unemployment still ranks amongst the highest in the state,” Walberg wrote. “Like it or not, revenue from gaming will help local governments with their infrastructure challenges. … I believe that for our area to become truly 'regional,' revenues obtained through these new sources should be shared.”
Rockford City Administrator Jim Ryan said the city is open to discussing a revenue sharing plan But because Rockford shoulders costs for regionally beneficial things like public housing subsidies, the museum campus, the Coronado Performing Arts Center, the BMO Harris Bank Center and the Chicago Rockford International Airport, it should get the majority of tax revenue generated by a casino.
"I certainly respect his desire to have a share of casino revenues for Boone County," Ryan said. "(But) the lion's share of revenue for this casino should go to the central city, the area that bears the majority of socioeconomic costs for the region. ... We provide the lion’s share of subsidies, ... so if we're going to have a regional discussion on revenue sharing, we're also going to have a discussion on cost sharing."
Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford; Rep. Bob Pritchard, R-Sycamore; Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford; and Rep. Litesa Wallace, D-Rockford, also received copies of Walberg's letter, as did Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey, Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain, Machesney Park Mayor Jerry Bolin, Loves Park Mayor Darryl Lindberg and Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen.
"We’ve been able to get together in the past and reason and get to a fair analysis," Christiansen said. "A population-based plan might make sense. Not sure if the numbers (in Walberg’s plan) are exactly right, but I think it’s something that we should discuss." - See more at: http://www.rrstar.com/article/20150306/NEWS/150309627/11669/NEWS#sthash.cmGziYRd.dpuf
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