Posted by Bud on February 03, 2010 at 14:28:44:
WVON radio host pushes for video gambling
'CITIZEN'S ORDINANCE' | Joins effort to get Council to lift ban
A radio talk show host has introduced a "citizen's ordinance" that would lift the Chicago ban on video gambling -- with an assist from Mayor Daley's former campaign manager.
Matt McGill is the morning drive host on WVON-AM Radio who moonlights as a bartender at Shula's Steakhouse and someday hopes to open his own bar.
On Jan. 13, while scores of cities and counties across Illinois were "opting out" of video gambling, McGill introduced an ordinance that would do the opposite in Chicago, where video gambling is currently illegal.
It states, "Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit any person from engaging in video gaming as permitted ... in the [state's] Video Gaming Act."
McGill said he exercised the right any private citizen has to introduce legislation to the City Council to help some of his friends who own bars and are struggling to keep them open.
"I've got one friend who's back behind the bar because he was forced to let his bartenders go. Bar owners -- especially in the African-American community -- are laying people off," McGill said.
"They wanted to have somebody media savvy articulate their issues and get the word out to politicians. That's how I got on board with the idea of introducing something. ... I had recommended that one of the bar owners do it. But, they said I should do it."
The Chicago Sun-Times reported last month that Daley's former campaign manager Greg Goldner was spearheading his own campaign to convince the City Council to lift the Chicago ban, paving the way for as many as 15,715 video gambling machines across the city.
After reading the story, McGill said he called Goldner to get "logistical assistance" on how to proceed.
"Whenever you're trying to create a movement, you get people with common interests together and pool your resources," McGill said.
Goldner tells a different story. He said he "advised McGill to introduce the ordinance" and drafted the legislation on McGill's behalf.
"We were told ... there was an alderman who was considering introducing an opt-out ordinance. That alderman was Joe Moore," Goldner said.
"We didn't want to just fight against an opt-out [ordinance]. We wanted to fight for a funding source for the capital bill. We considered all of our options and, when Matt presented himself to us, we decided it was a good option to have a citizen introduction of the opt-in ordinance."
The Goldner-led company known as Back to Work Illinois also armed McGill with political arguments to counter those who claim the African-American community would be hurt the most by, what some have called the "crack cocaine" of gambling.
"He provided me with information that I did not have -- that a majority of revenue would be coming from downtown bars. It's not like we have a thousand bars on the South Side trying to get video gaming machines," McGill said.
Ordinances introduced by private citizens rarely get hearings, let alone pass the City Council.
License Committee Chairman Eugene Schulter (47th), said he's aware of McGill's ordinance and is working with the city Law Department and the Illinois Gaming Commission to figure out "where we're at about video gaming."
"At the appropriate time, I'm sure there'll be a vote in the City Council. But right now, it's very remote.. It will be quite a while before the Gaming Commission [even] establishes rules," Schulter said.