A City Council committee plans to review Joliet’s stringent ethics ordinance with an eye toward barring all campaign contributions by riverboat gaming operators and others in “sensitive” businesses.
Carl Winterrose, chairman of the council’s Legislative Committee, wants that group to look at the city’s $250 limit on all campaign contributions, especially as it pertains to the gaming industry.
Winterrose, in his second term on the council, said he was concerned about recent reports that some area officials had received contributions from riverboat operators and that a riverboat lobbyist had publicly handed checks to various state legislators in the lobby of the state Capitol in Springfield.
“We don’t need that kind of publicity and if there are any questions, I want to head it off at the pass,” he said.
Fellow councilman Joseph Shetina, also a member of the committee, wants to know if any potential ban should include other groups, such as liquor license holders.
“That’s as sensitive as riverboat gaming,” Shetina said during a committee session earlier this week. “Rather than single out gaming, we should look at other areas.”
Shetina recently sponsored a stricter liquor license ordinance that was opposed by a group representing local taverns and restaurants.
Winterrose said he was not aware that any prior contributions had been made to any city political candidates and had no evidence of wrongdoing. “But I want to bring it up for discussions and see if anything needs to be done,” he said.
Last January, the City Council tightened its ethics ordinance to limit any campaign contribution to $250 across the board. The previous limit was $1,500 for any person or group that had business dealings with the city over the previous four years.
Winterrose said political contributions could involve a large amount of money if a number of people associated with any business combined to donate money to one candidate.
City Attorney Thomas Thanas said officials of Harrah’s told him they would have no objections to this proposal.
“We would have to show a rational basis for discriminating against riverboat operators,” said Thanas, who added that such an argument could be established “based on the revenue numbers from both boats and the potential for some abuse.”
Joliet, which has two boats in the water, is expected to reap more than $16 million in gaming tax revenue this year. The Empress boat, on the southwest side of town, has been the statewide leader in revenue since it was launched more than a year ago. The second boat, operated by Harrah’s at a downtown location, has been in service since May and has also been among the top boats in revenues.
Last May, it was reported that the gambling industry had donated at least $237,000 to the campaigns of dozens of Illinois officials, including a hefty $45,000 to the successful re-election bid of state Rep. Larry Wennlund (R-New Lenox).
Last month, former Rep. Al Ronan, now a lobbyist for the riverboats, said he passed out 20 checks of $50 to $300 to state legislators under the Capitol dome.
