Ohio Issue 6 - Allowing A Casino In Ohio: I Vote Yes

I've seen commercials go back and forth, for and against, but didn't really know which to believe. So I did what any other voter SHOULD be doing and research the issues. Let me state that I'm FOR legalized gambling in Ohio. Let me also state that there is a 99% chance I would never step foot in a casino (it's just not my thing). Ohio has been trying to stifle any attempts at legalized gambling because they fear it would cut into their government monopoly known as the state lottery.

The profits from the state lottery are supposed to go to the schools. When you figure in pay-outs, promotion, supplies, terminals, etc, there's not a lot of profit left over. Opponents of the Issue say that legalized gambling will decrease the amount of money going to the schools.

I would guess that the state lottery would not be hurt by legalized gambling. It's far easier to go into a store and buy a Mega Millions ticket for a $1 or a few instant scratch-off tickets than spend an evening in a casino. People like myself, who have no desire to go to a casino, are still going to buy those tickets. I don't know anything about casino games and I am certainly not going to lose a lot of money trying to learn.

Opponents also state that the casino isn't required to pay taxes. That's untrue, as I will post the language of the issue below. It states that Ohio requires a tax of up to 30% of gross receipts minus payouts. If you don't know Ohio, let me tell you, they will get that 30%. They will probably also pass some other specialty tax to get more money from the casino. Yet, they wonder why business are leaving.

More jobs + more taxes = better infrastructure, social services, & economic improvement

So that's my thoughts on the issue, in a nutshell, not an ACORN nutshell mind you.

***UPDATE...read the comments for this post. I debated a person in the comments about Issue 6 and added more thoughts there***

Here's the language on the ballot.

ISSUE #6
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION BY INITIATIVE PETITION FOR A
CASINO NEAR WILMINGTON IN SOUTHWEST OHIO AND DISTRIBUTE TO
ALL OHIO COUNTIES A TAX ON THE CASINO
(Proposed by Initiative Petition)

To adopt Section 6a to Article XV of the Ohio Constitution

This proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution would:

1. Authorize one privately owned casino with a required minimum initial investment of
$600 million dollars on a 94-acre site located near the northwest corner of State Route 73
and Interstate 71 in southwest Ohio in Chester Township near Wilmington, Clinton
County, Ohio.

2. Require the casino to pay a tax of up to 30% on its gross receipts for gaming less payouts.
The taxes are to be used first to pay expenses of regulating and collecting taxes from the
casino, then for funding of gambling prevention and treatment programs, and the
remainder to be distributed in the amount of 10% to Clinton County and 90% to the
remaining counties based on population and to be used at each county’s discretion.

3. Reduce the tax paid by the casino authorized by this amendment to the lesser of the rate
taxed on another casino or 25%, in the event another casino is permitted in Ohio in the
future.

4. Require that the casino be subject to all other applicable types of taxes that are currently
in effect in Ohio.

5. Authorize the casino to conduct any game permitted in the State of Nevada, or any state
adjacent to Ohio, including any type of card or table games, slot machines, and electronic
gaming devices, except bets on races or sporting events. Only persons age 21 and over
would be permitted to place bets. Amounts of bets would not be subject to any limits
now or in the future. Days and hours of operation would not be subject to limits.

6. Set aside the application to the casino of all local and state laws and any constitutional
provisions that would prohibit the operation of this privately owned casino, including any
local zoning law that would prohibit or place restrictions on a casino from operating on
the property in question.

If approved, this proposed amendment shall take effect 30 days after the election.