Friday, March 18, 2005

Blagojevich appoints a new (clean) slate for the Gaming Board

The Sun-Times has this article on the new Gaming Board finally back in business after Governor Blagojevich let it sit with only two members (less than a quorom of three) for months. He's got some new picks that are as clean as can be (from what I can see).

Paul Simon's daughter, Sheila Simon, a Carbondale Councilwoman, and probably future state rep or Member of Congrss, got the nod. You know she's clean.

Aaron Jaffe, former Skokie state representative and Cook County judge, is also a clean guy.

I'm not as familiar with the others: Reverend Eugene Winkler, Jr. (who has been civically active), Charles Gardner and Joe Moore, Jr. (could that be alderman Joe Moore's son? No, it's not.). But this looks to be a good move.

There's something sad about casinos in general, especially as they tend to be filled with poorer people who can't afford to enrich the investors of the casino with their meager pension payments one quarter at a time.

Plus, all that government revenue is not subsidized by the feds as an income tax would be, so it's another way we are missing the boat in Illinois to keep more of our wealth.

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