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Illinois casino bill stalls2 June 2008SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – As reported by the Peoria Journal Star: "A $34 billion public works construction program, to be paid for by expanding gambling and leasing the Illinois lottery, stalled Saturday in the Illinois House, hours after it was approved by the Senate. "…That means the next chance for a capital bill to pass the General Assembly probably is during the veto session in November, although Gov. Rod Blagojevich could call lawmakers into special session earlier than that. "…Blagojevich's office issued a statement saying that 'despite the House Democratic leadership's effort to kill the jobs bill, this is only the beginning.' "…The Senate program, contained in a half-dozen separate bills, included a plan to lease the Illinois lottery for at least $10 billion and use $7 billion of that for construction projects. It also called for three new casino licenses, selling an unused license, allowing the state's nine existing riverboats to expand and allowing slot machines at horse racing tracks. "The package died when a House committee refused to take up the lottery lease, but the full House also voted to table gambling expansion…" |