Dear Illinois Gaming Board, 
 Any casino would be BAD for Waukegan, for ALL the reasons many other responsible citizens are writing to you about, but the reason that concerns me the most is about establishing an unconquerable political dynasty for decades to come, by and for the politicians that gambling interests have recently placed into power here in order to build their casino. 
 I believe that even though our city government is officially entertaining bids from 5 other casino companies, their decision has already been made in favor of Tap Room Gaming, regardless of what other casinos propose or what any citizens say. I would ask that the Illinois Gaming Board permanently cancel ANY casino license for Waukegan or the surrounding area. 
 Our Mayor’s race couple years ago was especially disturbing. I do not know all the details, but am confident that my overall understanding is functionally accurate. I volunteered a few evenings of phoning for Lisa May, the independent candidate. I was very impressed with her integrity and taking of the moral high road on every issue and at every slap in the face she received from the Democratic Party, candidates and lobbyists. The lies and misinformation coming out of Sam Cunningham’s campaign, as well as the lobbyists and the local Democratic offices both officially and as insidious “whisper campaigns” was very bad. One of my friends happened into Sam and asked him to his face why he was running such a dirty campaign. He just shrugged and said just he had to do what he had to do. 
 The last several days before the elections, with Lisa in the lead, every day every household received a new lying postcard making Lisa out to be evil. With a smiling Sam assuring everyone that he would be the best mayor Waukegan had ever seen. Bankrolling this series of postcards were a couple of new, previously unheard-of organizations, that when looked up on the internet with the State Elections Board, were connected to Tap Room Gaming. There was no direct mention of casinos on these postcards, because everyone knows that most of our community has historically been - and is now - opposed to casinos and expanded gambling. These highly negative and false postcards alone won the mayoral election for Sam without question. (For what it’s worth, my personal opinion of Republicans, at least on a national level, is even lower than my faith in Democrats at this time) 
 Then we had the aldermanic election, where gambling interests “invested” over $400,000 (officially reported campaign funding only) in buying a majority of the aldermanic seats. Again, Tap Room Gaming’s name came up repeatedly. With their unlimited funding and no scruples, gambling interests can crush every opposing candidate, and will continue to do so indefinitely. The mayor and city council has been as quiet as it can be to get the casino implemented since. 
 The people of Waukegan do NOT want to be stuck with this dysfunctional situation. I would welcome a credible, independent investigation of this entire matter, but don’t see it happening. 
 I spoke with another elected official who triumphantly said repeatedly that the casino was “100% in” because “they” had wanted it for a long time, so it’s time “they” “finally won and got it.” He claimed people want casinos because they are bored and “want something to do.” He said how he came from Chicago, where politics were really corrupt, and lots worse than Waukegan, and that there’s nothing wrong with doing anything you can get away with. That’s just how politics are, implying that I am very stupid for wanting anything more honest in my local government. And I’m really stupid for dreaming of a world of integrity in line with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s teachings. A repulsive as I found his views, at least he was honestly expressing himself, unlike the other politicians. 
 These are among the reasons I’m sending this without signature, as I am afraid of our local politicians and of likely retribution.  Also much of this letter is compilation of thoughts by many friends who likewise oppose gambling, have circulated petitions, etc. Most feel stopping the casino or limiting gambling in our community is a hopeless cause. 
 The gambling industry consistently presents us with a “face” as if all their customers were fun-loving gamers, in control of their lives and finances, simply buying an entertaining evening occasionally, at a fancy classy place with big-name live music and other entertainment. Surely there are some individuals who fit this rosy, non-dysfunctional profile, but many of us do not believe this is their typical customer. Another demographic our city/ the casino will target is Great Lakes Naval Station nearby, the home of all Navy Basic Training and many “A-Schools.” All agree that the sailors would flock in droves to the casino, but our country’s young sailors are here for training to serve their country, not be enticed and milked shamelessly by casinos.  
 The reality is that consistent gamblers - especially those not yet addicted enough to be convicted as having a full-blown “gambling problem” - absolutely do not think like regular people! What may begin as a fun fantasy escape grows into extreme superstition of what they must do to “be lucky.” This thinking becomes more ingrained & irresponsible, and less in touch with reality.They are convinced that somehow they will surely beat the system and soon win lots of money to solve all their problems, if they can just keep gambling long enough. They will gamble away the money required for their other responsibilities, then do whatever they need to do (legal or illegal) to keep on gambling,  desperately convinced they will now win it all back plus “enough.” We have a much higher percentage than average here that will succumb to that dysfunctional reasoning, due to our low mean higher-education and sophistication levels, income level, desperation levels (on MANY common issues, including legal residency), loneliness level and other risky demographics. Most Navy kids and much of our civilian population do not have local family support and live “between a rock and a hard place” consistently, dreaming of an easy cash miracle in their lives. A casino is nothing more than a time-bomb for a large percent of our temporary and permanent residents here. I fear crime will rapidly rise with the escalating desperation of these gamblers who have lost money they cannot afford to lose. They may turn to alcohol then crime, justifying in their own minds that they are “correcting” their prior gambling mistakes, doing it for kids or other loved ones, or other noble-sounding causes. It is a bizarre mentality that is incomprehensible to responsible, 
 mainstream citizens, but I’ve seen lots of red flags here for decades, and fear problem gambling will become epidemic if an irresistible casino is built near here. 
 Another argument presented is about jobs created. Most good-paying construction jobs will go to people with specific skills who work for large “connected” companies, few of whom live inside Waukegan. Most of the permanent jobs created by a casino will not pay well, and some will eliminate other jobs in the community as small businesses shrink or close. Waukegan would base it’s revitalization solely on a hugely successful, glamorous gambling palace, incessantly selling false hopes and dreams to desperate local people. A precious few (casino owners and politicians) will become fabulously wealthy, at the expense of the rest of our community. This casino is just plain wrong from every angle. 
 We already have too much gambling here. There are slots and other gambling machines everywhere we look. Many establishments are now open much later - even 24x7 - to accommodate the chronic gamblers at machines in their neighborhood. Our neighbors clearly cannot resist gambling when it’s so readily available. The flavor of this whole town is getting seedier because of such widespread gambling defining who we are as a city. 
 I’ve told many politicians of Waukegan that I oppose gambling. Most have looked surprised and scornfully at me, almost laughing in my face. I know of many other citizens who have had the same experience. One elected official assured me that a casino would be “no problem because it only draws a better class of people” than other gambling. This strikes me as hogwash! 
 We should be training our citizens to have productive jobs or start companies, to plan their long term financial security by being sensible and frugal. We need an honest, transparent local government that we CAN vote out of office should they not represent our community. We should not be telling our neighbors that their answer to life’s problems is to gamble until they hit it big and live on easy street the rest of their lives. 
 Please permanently cancel any casino license for Waukegan and the surrounding area.  
 Sincerely yours,  
 A Citizen of Waukegan