LETTERS Day care needed The article expressing the need to invest in the early development of children exposed to poverty, abuse and neglect was right on target (see Illinois Issues, April 1997, page23). But it overlooked a significant contributor to the development of poor children: day care. While Head Start and prekindergarten are proven to help kids succeed, these programs are often not conducive to many families' work schedules. Tens of thousands of families will need day care, especially now that welfare recipients are mandated to work. House Bill 630, which was stalled in the Senate, would help Head Start and prekindergarten programs stay open during hours that support working families. Every child deserves a fair chance at becoming a productive citizen. For many children of low-income parents, affordable and good quality day care is essential to achieving this.
Elissa Bassler
Stopped being a Catholic Gayle Worland is wrong when she calls [U.S. Sen.] Dick Durbin a "prochoice Catholic" (see Illinois Issues, March 1997, page 18). There is no such thing as a pro-choice Catholic. Sen. Durbin can display pictures of himself standing next to Mother Teresa wherever he wishes, but he stopped being Catholic when he started abetting the murder of the unborn.
Rev. Dr. Robert Springs
Gambling stranglehold The point of government is to lead, to protect citizens in unfair situations. Instead, we see Illinois joining with big gambling to take citizens' money through casinos and lotteries. An inordinate amount of time and tax money is spent rationalizing why that is OK. This dilemma is both moral and practical. Illinois has gotten addicted to the tax dollars, and the gamblers have a stranglehold on the state's politicians. [The addiction is] not only the tax dollars, but the cash cow of campaign contributions to pols, who then decide on policy and appoint state regulators. "Wanna Bet?" (see Illinois Issues, May 1997, page 28) describes this dilemma while singling out the poor as more susceptible to gambling. This is a pathetic legacy designed by pols. This system only develops false dreams and keeps the poor in poverty. Illinois, with 10 percent of the Midwest's casinos, is dangerously addicted to gambling for taxes and economic activity. 1996 alone saw $950 million lost by gamblers on the 10 existing boats in 25 million visits. From 1991-96 local governments in casino areas gained $290 million. While big gambling and government are doing well, the same can't be said for the citizens who are getting fleeced. In order for big gambling and government to be a winner, the citizen has to be a loser.
Doug Dobmeyer
Clarification We reported (see May, page 11) that a tax increment financing district protects developers from property tax increases for many years. In fact, developers do pay higher taxes as their property value increases, but the "incremental increases" go into a TIF fund rather than to other local taxing bodies. Money in the TIF fund typically helps developers subsidize their investment in the TIF district.
40 / June 1997 Illinois Issues
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