New casino bill not sitting well with Rockford mayor

ROCKFORD - A new gambling Bill is in the works in Springfield, and in it a casino for Rockford.

The new wording in the Bill will establish an independent group to make sure no one tries to take advantage of the system.  It also states that local businessmen will not be allowed to run a casino, only nationally traded companies will be allowed to do so.  It also has corruption safeguards in place as Governor Pat Quinn requested. 

But, there is a local hang up in the bill.  Senator Dave Syverson wants the money made from a Rockford casino to be split between the city and Winnebago County, and that's not sitting well at all with city leaders.

If a casino is built, 5-percent of its revenue would go to state taxes.  As it stands, half of that money would go to Rockford and half to the county.

But in prior casino bills, all of that revenue went to the city, a change Rockford mayor Larry Morrissey is furious about.

"The idea that Springfield could do a better job negotiating a local revenue sharing agreement is absolutely outrageous to me," said Morrissey.  "The big question is, 'who's controlling the money?'"

Morrissey thinks the 50/50 split isn't fair and that Syverson's proposal is politics at its best.

"I think they're being very direct about who controls the money," said Morrissey.  "And have the political favors that they can get from it."

Winnebago County Board chairman Scott Christiansen says not so fast.

"Clearly the city of Rockford would get the lion share [of the casino revenue]," said Christiansen.

That's because Rockford would get property taxes and development revenue, on top of its 50-percent share.  Still, Morrissey says if a casino comes the city should have a say in how the revenue is split.

"We've not even been given a chance," said Morrissey.

Not even local senators can agree on the process.

"The locals will best decide how to use that money, than someone in Springfield," said 34^th district state senator Steve Stadelman.

While another senator wants Springfield to set the revenue split, guaranteeing everyone in Winnebago Country benefits.

"Not just today, but for the next 20, 30 years," said 35^th District state senator Dave Syverson.  An approach Christiansen agrees with.

"Let them do it in the Bill there," said Christiansen.  "then threes no arguments locally, it's all done."

If that's the case, Morrissey says the city will push for state laws that demand other regional revenue sources, like the host fee from the county landfill that currently controlled by the county, be split.

"The city of Rockford should get 50-percent of it," said Morrissey.  "Since we're roughly 50-percent of the country population."

Morrissey says he doesn't want that to happen, but that Rockford needs all the help it can get from casino revenue.

Still, Christiansen says the county is aware of Rockford's struggles.  That's why he says more than half of the host fee from the landfill goes to Rockford.

"We know about all that," said Christiansen.  "We know we need a strong Rockford."

While Senator Stadelman believes local control is ideal, he says none of it will matter if a casino isn't built and that getting a Bill passed remains his priority.

Mayor Morrissey says if the current wording stays in he will push for an amendment in the House to remove it.