HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 08-94 02/01/1994 RESOLUTION NO. 8-94
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE GOVERNOR AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
NOT ENACT ANY LAW WHICH WOULD PREEMPT THE ABILITY OF MOUNT PROSPECT,
AS A HOME RULE COMMUNITY, TO PROHIBIT OR REGULATE ANY
GAMBLING ACTIVITY WITHIN ITS CORPORATE LIMITS
WHEREAS, the Village of Mount Prospect, in Ordinance 727, has adopted a policy against most gambling
activities in the Village, a policy which the Mayor and Board of Trustees continues to believe is in the best
interest of the residents of the Village; and
WHEREAS, over the pest several years, the State of Illinois has relaxed its laws dealing with gambling, by
permitting and sponsoring the State lottery, and by permitting off-track betting and riverboat gambling; and
WHEREAS, new proposals to further relax the laws of the State dealingwith gambling are pending before
the General Assembly or will be pending in the next session; and
WHEREAS, a study by the Better Government Association found that underage persons are illegally
perticipating in gambling activities and consuming alcoholic beverages at riverboat casinos; and
WHEREAS, the Illinois State Police Director estimated at least $100 million a year would be added to law
enforcement costs in Illinois if casinos were legalized; and
WHEREAS, the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago and the Church Council of Mount
Prospect/Prospect Heights have stated that any financial benefits which might be realized from the
expansion of gambling in the Chicago area would be far outweighed by the negative and debilitating effects
of gambling upon our residents and communities; and
WHEREAS, the Governor and the General Assembly, on some important local issues (for example, the
regulation of pesticides and the imposition of a tobacco tax), have preempted the ability of home rule units
of government to act in furtherance of local concerns; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Board of Trustees desires to maintain its policy against most gambling activities
in the Village and to retain the ability to adopt regulatory ordinances on this subject in furtherance of local
concerns; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Board of Trustees is concerned, in light of recent laws preempting home rule
authority in other areas of local concern, that the State of Illinois might attempt to preempt its ability to
prohibit or regulate gambling activities in the Village.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE
OF MOUNT PROSPECT, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS:
SECTION ONE: That the Mayor and Board of Trustees hereby request the Governor and the General
Assembly not to enact any law which would preempt the ability of Mount Prospect and other home rule units
of government to prohibit or regulate any gambling activity within our communities.
SECTION TWO: That this Resolution shall bo in full force and effect from and after its passage and
approval in the manner provided by law.
SECTION THREE: That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Office of the Governor, Legislators
representing Mount Prospect and the leadership of the General Assembly.
AYES: Clowes, Hendricks, Hoefert, Skowron, Wilks.
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Corcoran
PASSED and APPROVED this 1st day of Februarv .1994. ~
Gerald L. Farley ~ J
Mayor
ATTEST:
Carol A. Fields
Village Clerk