Bill Dwyer Says Source of Road Money “Doesn’t Matter”

I wasn't able to attend Bill Dwyer's rally at the intersections of Route 31 and 62. This picture of Congressman Don Manzullo is from that rally, but in no way indicates his support for expanding gambling in Illinois, a position I would be amazed if he took.
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When I was in the General Assembly, I used to muse that schools didn’t care where more money would come from.

If it came from the syndicate, well, no problem.

That thought came to my head when I read former McHenry County Board member Bill Dwyer’s comment to Daily Herald reporter Kerry Lester on the irrelevance of the funding source to improve roads in McHenry County:

"We're here to fix McHenry County's roads. If that's paid for by gambling money or not, it doesn't matter. Whatever way the Senate or House passes a capital bill, we'll take."

Actually, my take on the school folks’ avarice is pretty close to Dwyer’s comment.

The end justifies the means.

And the "demand" for money that ought to be provided because of "need" is what the gambling folks hope will convince legislators like State Representatives Mike Tryon, Jack Franks and Mark Beaubien to vote to make Illinois the gambling capitol of the Midwest.

It apparently does not matter that Illinois would become second only to Los Vegas in casino presence.

The social fallout is irrelevant.

It doesn't matter if another McHenry County Sheriff's deputy falls victim to the disease and finds money to gamble at the courthouse.

It doesn't matter that people can’t spend money on goods and services if they gamble it away.

That's a thought not a thought worth considering.

Just so we get roads that were promised a decade ago.

Back when amendments filed by state representatives had to be voted upon before a bill could move forward to passage stage, I introduced one to a casino expansion bill that required the erection of a lighted sign on the top of every riverboat. The sign had to say in very large letters (many, ten foot letters)

“LOSING”

“Losing,” after all, is what gambling is all about, isn’t it?

Posted first at McHenry County Blog.