Economy Central To Ohio Casino Fight
Published: October 18, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Backers of a casino proposal on the fall ballot are counting on Ohio’s abysmal economy to shift the winds in one of the nation’s most stubborn antigambling states.
The campaign centers on jobs.
The pro-casino committee is named Ohio Jobs & Growth. Omnipresent TV ads tout the 34,000 short- and long-term jobs that would be created by building casinos in Ohio’s four largest cities. Unions in the state with unemployment topping 10 percent are working the phones.
Opponents say the jobs claims ignore social costs and the harm casinos could do to adjacent local businesses.
Ohio voters have rejected gambling issues four times in the past 19 years. The most recent poll showed 59 percent of Ohioans supporting this year’s issue.
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Reader Reactions
The negatives to casinos are that they are, to some a device to enable addictive behaviour that results in some people losing far too much money, which effects their ability to provide for their family. Are there other places they can go and other things they could squander their money on? Of course there are. Perhaps they are going to squander it anyway. But adding casinos is, in a way, saying “too bad for them, they should be better.“ It’s one thing to make it illegal after the fact, but to introduce it knowing that people suffer from addiction due to it is irresponsible and calloused. Sure they might do it anyway, people are gonna kill other people even though there’s a law against it. That’s not a valid argument in saying that it ought to be legal.
Why wouldn’t anyone want a casino? I’ve lived in Michigan most of my life, The casinos don’t take away business, they bring existing business’ more customers. Which generates more employment and/or tax dollars. The taxes they pay go towards schools & allow more police & firefighters to be hired and also allow Police & Fire Departments to purchase new & modern equipment. Seems most of the people who are against casinos are people who are only trying to push their morals & beliefs on others. If you don’t believe in them, don’t go. The rest of us don’t need someone to tell us what’s bad or good for us. This is America, don’t step on my rights & I won’t step on yours.
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