26th Dist. rivals differ on more gaming
Whether more casinos and gambling options should be added in Illinois to help pay state bills is one issue that divides the candidates running in the 26th Senate District.
The two Democrats running in the Feb. 5 primary for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. William Petersen are Bill Gentes, 48, of Round Lake and Richard Hammes, 66, of North Barrington.
Gentes says more casinos are the only option for the state to get more money.
"It's one of the few areas we will get revenues from," said the real estate association executive.
Gentes supports putting a casino in Waukegan and says that although gambling does bring problems, he thinks the state is doing "a decent job" making sure appropriate programs are in place.
"It's unfortunate we have to use casino gambling to fund many of the projects that we desperately need," he said. "But we have to be pragmatic and realistic about this."
His challenger says that while he's not opposed to bigger or more casinos, they should not be the first option to raise money.
"I am concerned about relying on gambling as a major source for revenue generation," said Hammes, a psychologist management consultant. "This is an easy way out."
Hammes says he's also worried about having too much gambling in the state.
Instead, he says, other revenue generators -- such as raising driver's license fees and Metra and CTA fares -- should be tested.
Adding slot machines and other gambling devices to horse racing tracks could become problematic because of saturation, Hammes says.
"I am concerned about spreading gambling everywhere," he said. "Once you get to the racetrack, what is the next thing you put it into?"
Gentes, on the other hand, says something needs to be done to help the horse racing industry.
"I would be in favor of more gambling at the tracks," he said. "I think casinos are where people go to gamble anyway. Racetrack people go to gamble on the horses."
The winner of the primary will face Republican Dan Duffy of Lake Barrington in November.
The 26th District includes an area that stretches from Libertyville Township in Lake County west to Nunda, Dorr and McHenry townships in McHenry County, and south to part of Palatine Township in Cook County.