Byline: Sheri Buttstadt
Normally, you won't read about politics in this column, but there's a reason why it's relevant today.
State lawmakers have been looking at legislation that could have a huge impact on our city's economic development - namely, they have been considering a casino license for Rosemont.
Many of you probably have thought about expressing your opinion and pleading our community's case, but you weren't sure how or where to send your comments. Here's how you can make your views known.
If you have access to the Internet and want some background information before you take action by writing a letter or making phone calls, go to the city of Elgin's Web site at www.nsn.org/elghome/cityelg/
In addition to some general information regarding potential legislation, you'll be able to read about what has been accomplished by the millions of dollars pumped into our area's economy since 1995 by the Grand Victoria Casino.
From the city's Web page, you can click on a link to the Downtown Neighborhood Association's Web site at www.elginil.org and obtain a list of addresses and phone numbers for Gov. Ryan and numerous state legislators.
If you mail a letter to everyone on the list, it will set you back less than five bucks. The stakes are high, so the cost of your investment is small in comparison.
At the DNA site, you'll also be able to read Mayor Ed Schock's May 3 letter to Ryan and compose a personalized letter to send to some of those elected officials who eventually will be making a decision.
If you don't have access to the Internet and you want the list of legislators or information about the gaming legislation, call Clay Pearson, director of Elgin's community relations, at (847) 931-5593.
If you want your letter to go to all of the House Representatives in Springfield, send your letter by fax to Rep. Doug Hoeft's secretary, Joyce, at (217) 782-1275. In your cover letter, ask that she put the letter in all the representatives' mailboxes.
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High-rollers: It's no secret that some of the decision-makers like Gov. George Ryan receive campaign donations from groups with financial interest in these issues.
Many will tell you that big money and politics go together - that's just how it is.
That doesn't mean you need to sit in silence and accept the current system.
Here's a chance for you to learn about the connection between money and politics and about how big money affects the political process and can shut out the voice of the common citizen.
Jim Kales, coordinator of Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, will present "High Rollers: The Gambling Industry and Illinois Politicians" from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium at Sherman Hospital, 934 Center St.
The program is open to the public and is sponsored by the Elgin Area League of Women Voters.
I-CPR, a project chaired by former Sen. Paul Simon and former Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra, was formed in 1997 in an effort to take big money out of politics and to bring voters to their rightful place at the center of government.
Funded by the Joyce Foundation, I-CPR is a project of the League of Women Voters of Illinois.
Kales attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he received his master's degree in public policy.
In 1994, he accepted a fellowship to study sociology at the University of Chicago. He was chosen to head the Chicago-based Dollars and Democracy Project, which sponsored more than 60 discussion groups on money and politics.
In June 1997, the project organized a town hall forum with Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold, leaders of a national movement to clean up politics.
More than 500 people attended the event, making it one of the largest rallies ever for campaign finance reform.
As part of I-CPR's investigation of money and politics, it was learned that gambling interests gave an estimated $3.12 million to Illinois legislators between 1995-1998.
During the 1997-98 campaign season, most of this money went to Gov. George Ryan and the "big four" leaders - Michael Madigan, Emil Jones, James "Pate" Philip and Lee Daniels.
I-CPR recently has gathered more than 10,000 signatures on a petition calling for reform in Illinois campaign practices. These petitions will be presented to the Governor and General Assembly, calling on them to move campaign finance reform to the top of next session's agenda.
Kales will use the gaming industry's contributions as a microcosm of how money influences politics and how big money corrupts the political process and shuts out the voice of the common citizen.
For details about this program, call Jennifer Ford at (847) 695-3548.
Does your Elgin group have an upcoming event that you want people to read about in this column, or do you have a volunteer you're especially proud of and would like to see featured here? Call me after 10 a.m. at (847) 741-8936, or mail a letter or your press release to Sheri Buttstadt, 687 Linden Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. Or send your e-mail to buttstad@foxvalley.net.
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