Senate Favors Taking Slots To Ballot
NBC 4
Ohio’s Senate president suggests putting a slots issue on the November ballot in a compromise to end the state budget gridlock over the governor’s proposal to legalize the machines at horse tracks.
Published: July 7, 2009
Updated: July 7, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio’s Senate president suggested Tuesday putting a slots issue on the November ballot in a compromise to end the state budget gridlock over the governor’s proposal to legalize the machines at horse tracks.
In a letter to Gov. Ted Strickland, Republican Bill Harris said that a committee he convened has found that the success of the governor’s proposal is already dependent on the outcome of the election.
The disagreement over gambling has stalled budget negotiations, which had otherwise made progress on big ticket items, including more than $2 billion in cuts.
Harris and Strickland sit on the front lines of the budget impasse that has forced lawmakers to pass consecutive weeklong temporary budgets while they try closing a $3.2 billion gap in the roughly $54 billion spending plan.
Strickland has said that the Senate criticized his plan while refusing to put forth an alternative to raise the estimated $933 million that would come from slots.
Voters are expected to decide a separate proposal to legalize casino gambling in four cities at the polls in the fall, and a race track executive testified Friday that it is unlikely construction of any new video slots facilities would begin until the results are known. Strickland’s budget plan calls for using the first proceeds from slots in December.
Harris’ letter notes that Strickland, a Democrat, expanded the lottery once before - adding the bingo-style Keno game - without legislative approval or the legal authority he now seeks. He also outlined a number of concerns about Strickland’s plan, including the fact it would choose some private interests over others and will almost certainly prompt a lawsuit.
But he said the two men, who have been stuck in a high-profile stalemate since June, have many beliefs in common - including being united against tax increases and placing a priority on funding education.
“I would even venture to say that our views about relying on expanded gambling to help close our budget gap are truly not that far apart,“ Harris wrote.
Strickland has said the added protections are now necessary because slot machines are not a ticketed game like those allowed under law. He scheduled an early afternoon news conference to discuss the letter.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail
.
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Absolutely! Church is ruling this state and country.We used to be free to make our own decisions(with consequences if our fun violated the rights of others),but now can’t even experience life without breaking the law.Which ultimately boils down to revenue inhancement.
I want them all out of my pocket,my decisions and my life .Shut up quit grandstanding and do your job and quit protecting Govt.and church controlled gambling.Get off my smokes and my beer also.
Hey, are you getting fed up with all these “do gooder” senators and politicians that want to protect us? from what? gambling? it is a gamble every day your feet hit the floor! why does it bother these people if I take MY money and do what I want with it? probably because they cant get it before by some other way -taxes etc.If you dont gamble dont go and play your money but dont preach to everybody and force them to live by your “standards”.as for politicians I hate the ground they walk on and all the BS they stand for! ask yourself? when was the last time any politico said any thing relevant and about what is troubling this state and country? it is all about the money. your money and how to squeeze it out of your hand to fund pet projects and restructure society.
According to the Ohio Senate Website Senator Harris term is up in 2010 and is not eligible to run for re-election. This probably explains why he doesn’t give a rats butt about this, he isn’t going to be here next year. I also noticed that he was the owner of a “dealership”. I assume that it is a car dealership. Maybe his fighting the slots has more to do with the big Washington Government then what is actually going on in Ohio. I am a diehard Republican, but come next election, I am going to think long and hard before I vote along party lines again.
Griff, you share my sentiments exactly! I want to know who those senators are who are causing all the trouble. Gambling is gambling period! Not passing the budget is causing financial hardship for alot of people in this state. Now there is a question about whether or not the state payroll will be met on July 17th and vendors who provide services for the care of MRDD and other home care required patients are not getting paid because of this. They have to feed and care for those people with no money comining in and two or three weeks without funds could close homes and cause a bigger burden on the state. That’s just the issues I know about. I’m sure there are other problems in several different areas. These people are grand standing and creating an issue where there isn’t one. I’ll be with anyone on the campaign trail to stop them from getting re-elected when we know who they are. This Harris is number one on the list.
Here’s a way to make money from people that only use the service instead of across the board taxes. The Senate should have been behind this from the beginning. How many are willing to put their own wallets up to cover the shortfall? They’re trying to force a tax hike to point fingers.
Griff you speak the truth.We shouldn’t be about “saving"people from themselves,like Ohio voters have done in the past when this issue comes up.They are living in a world that does’nt see the forest for the trees and all of our potential income running for the bordering states.
Why doesn’t this surprise me. I hope Gov Strickland will “man” up and just do it on his own. I will have more respect for him if does it without Senate approval and goes ahead and let the race tracks have the slots. If they put the issue on the ballot in November and it gets defeated but the other Free Standing Casino issue would pass, Congress will have no control over the Free Standing Casinos. Does anyone know where you can get a list of Senators that are up for re-election this year? Maybe we should all go out and start compaigning against them and then when they loose their “comfy” jobs they will think about it next time. Senator Harris says No to the Slots at the Race Tracks but is ok with the Lottery? He is a fool. Gambling is gambling, whether you take a $20 and put it in a slot machine, buy lottery tickets, go play bingo or go to Scioto Downs and bet on a horse. All are Gambling. People are going to gamble if they want to, we need to keep the money, the jobs and the horses racing in Ohio.
Advertisement