CHICAGO ((WBBM)) -- Governor Blagojevich is proposing putting Las Vegas-style Keno gambling inside bars and restaurants across Illinois. The governor once vowed to oppose gambling expansion in the state, but he says the new plan could net 80-million dollars a year for schools and transportation.
WBBM's Political Editor Craig Dellimore is finding mixed reaction among politicians.
Mayor Daley says he has no problem with the Governor's plan to raise revenue with Keno games. He says the City wants the 100 million dollars it would bring in for school construction. But, Democratic candidate for Governor Edwin Eisendrath says putting Las Vegas style gaming in family restaurants is wrong.
State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a Republican running for Governor, refuses to say if Keno is a good idea or not. She says she is crafting a comprehensive proposal dealing with gaming and finding revenue for schools. And she would not answer questions about individual parts of the plan right now. Asked if, in principle, she opposes any expansion of gaming, Topinka noted that she voted against the original legislation authorizing riverboat gambling. She refused to say how she feels about it now.
But, Topinka blasts Governor Blagojevich for breaking his promise NOT to support an expansion of gambling. She says it's the latest in a series of broken promises from the Governor.
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