Ohio Casino Plan Clears Hurdle

COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Ohio Ballot Board has cleared the way for supporters of a gambling proposal to begin gathering signatures to place it on the November ballot.

The Ballot Board voted 4-1 Monday to certify a plan to place casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo as a single issue. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner was the only dissenting vote.

The Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee said the casino proposal would lead to $1 billion in private investment, $600 million in tax revenue and 20,000 new jobs.

Supporters must submit roughly 400,000 valid signatures to Brunner by July 1 to get the proposal for a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

It would be the fifth time in 20 years and the second in the past year that voters would face a gambling issue.

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