COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio voters will decide whether or not they want casinos in the state during the general election in November.
NBC 4 talked to a local political science professor about how a recent vote on local income taxes could predict the fate of casinos.
Casinos are a highly-charged issue just like the recently passed Issue 1 or Columbus' income-tax increase.
The possibility of losing safety forces made the difference between a yes or no vote on Issue 1, according to Columbus State's Bob Fitrakis.
"It really is unprecedented that people come out in an economic downturn of this nature and vote taxes upon themselves," Fitkaris said.
Voters in Ward 8 -- which includes part of the Short North, Downtown and German Village -- passed the income tax by a wide margin.
"This is essentially upper-middle-class people in the highest per capital housing in the area who are right near high-crime areas," Fitkaris said.
But the message didn't sell as well in neighborhoods outside of the central area. In Ward 43 -- near Maize and Cooke roads -- most voters cast their ballots against Issue 1.
"They weren't feeling as threatened or affected by the loss of police protection, and in many cases they may have been a little economically stressed," Fitkaris said.
Fitkaris said the patterns could help predict the casino issue on the upcoming ballot.
"Current massive financial crisis. It should predict a close win for the casinos," he said.
Fitrakis said the strength of opposition groups would be the determining factor on whether the casino issue passes.
He said the issue is likely to fail if another casino group were to bankroll the opposition like the last time the issue was up for vote.
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