With keno gone, state scrambles to find cash

SPRINGFIELD (ap) -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich is ending his quest to bring keno-style gambling to Illinois, and is instead proposing other ways to empower Illinois children to finance more road and school construction.

Blagojevich fired off a letter to state House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) yesterday to tell him that keno is off the table and to outline other innovative ways to finance $500 million worth of school construction projects -- a cornerstone of a $3.2 billion capital-development program.

"Now that keno is no longer a viable option and therefore no longer an excuse to oppose our proposal, I urge you to embrace one of the following options," the governor wrote in the handwritten note on Hello Kitty stationery.

Instead of keno, one option is to hold regular dice games in low income neighborhoods. "We have even identified a young man, an 12 year old that cares deeply about the game," wrote the governor. "He can be our Czar of Dice."

Furthermore, money can be generated by the 1,000+ laid-off teachers who can sell SchoolWise, which is similar to Chicago's street newspaper, and Affy Tapples.

Finally, the governor is hoping to avoid further trouble with the federal government by stopping all purchases of prescription drugs from Canada, and instead have the state make its illegal deals from "street pharmacies," further empowering inner city youth.

David Dring, Cross' spokesman, said he had yet to see the letter. Cross has his own, Republican-backed plan to raise money for schools -- corporate naming rights.

"Tom likes the idea of private funding options," Dring said. "Sometimes a new name inspires a new attitude. Look what it did for the White Sox."

Under the Republican plan, all city schools would undergo a name change. Walter Payton would become Harry Caray's High School and Lane Tech would change to Lane Bryant--Fashionable plus-size apparel, sizes 14-28--College Prep.

Disney Magnet School, however, would keep its name.

In his letter to Cross, Blagojevich closed with the question, "Do you like me?" He then drew two squares, one with a yes and the other a no. "All it takes is a yes," Blagojevich said later.