Issue 3 concerning support of casinos in Ohio is approved. The conditions include one casino in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus, but distribute a tax to all counties. The casino operators are required to pay a $50 million fee for state job training.
Two of three statewide issues passed easily Tuesday, with the third to allow casinos in Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus and Cincinnati well ahead in the polls.
Jumping out to a clear lead, State Issue 3 benefited early from large blocks of votes from the urban counties, particularly Cleveland and Cincinnati.
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While I am not for casinos I voted against it from the principle that is for just for selected areas. I guess in my mind it is not fair to say that some places can have it and others not. That’s called discrimination.
more money for the crooked politicians way to go ohio voters smart move…… how about voting on medical marijuana
Well folks, take it from someone who has experienced the casino boom in my own state. Get ready for twice the payday loan stores, triple the number of pawn shops, and about a four hundred percent increase in suicide rates. Oh yeah, armed robbery skyrockets, as does prostitution, divorce, foreclosures, and assaults.
What a shame states can’t manage state budgets without soliciting help from organized crime.
For all those who are so concerned that the casinos will bring in out-of-state workers, think about this: once they move here they will be in-state workers, buying houses in Ohio, shopping at Ohio stores, eating at Ohio restaurants. This is NOT a bad thing. It is good for our economy.
As far as crime goes, It dosen’t seem to me that Rising Sun and Lawrenceburg have been transformed into Sodom & Gomorrah. It seems to me that all these potential criminals would have been invading Indiana for years, or do you think they’ve all been sitting around waiting for Ohio to legalize gambling so that they can ply their nefarious trades here?
And for those of you who insist on putting a religiuos spin on this issue, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I will echo what has been said here repeatedly, if you don’t like gambling, then don’t go to the casino, but don’t place your mores and values on me.
WTF? I had no idea people were so passionate about this issue. I don’t believe in gambling either, but the state shouldn’t impose values on it’s citizens because everybody doesn’t shares the same values. How would all you Christians like it if traditionalist muslims tried to pass a law saying women have to cover their faces in public? The US was founded on freedom and tolerance. Let’s strive for that.
And of course the people that gamble will lose money and the casino will gain. Everybody knows that the odds always favor the house. Some people (with money) just find gambling fun, and don’t mind spending money playing the games.
Detroit has 3 casinos. They’ve reeeeeally helped our pitiful city. Good luck with yours.
I myself frequent nearby states to go gambling and am very pleased that ohio is jumping on board. For those who think casinos will destroy families or do more harm then good just need not to go. Or if you do decide to gamble, which you probably will, just set limits. A little gambling can do no harm, but a lot of gambling may cause problems. No children permitted, so adults are responsible for their own misfortunes.
Way to go ohio, you passed a ridiculous casino law! You couldnt just wait till a better opportunity for casinos came up. I dont care that there is casinos in ohio, but you passes to make that casino a monolpoly. Now only that casino owner has the right to be here, no other casino can ever move in and give us some variety. On top of that we gave them a tax break that is the best a casino has ever gotten from any state ever! But hey we are getting more jobs right, who cares if in some states casinos make you able to send your kids to daycare for free. We ohioins dont need that!! All we need is a casino as fast as we can!!! Great job voters who really read into what they they were voting for, I cant wait to say I told you so!
This is the work of the devil! LOL Instead of going to PA, IN, WV, MI, you Ohioans have the nerve to play these GAMES here in OHIO?!!? LOL
You know what the worst part of Ohio is? The part between Cincinnati, Columbus, and Marietta. Please, just get rid of the entire bible thumping southern Ohio, that would be wonderful.
If you think a slot machine might ruin your marrige, you might want to look at the bigger picture.
I’m curios as to the comment about the increase of crime? Look at the stats you ignorant moran. For every casino built in the last decade, there has been no statistic reported, that there was an increase of crime in the immidiate area.
Wake up people. There is probably an active poker table in your neighbors basement. Have you seen the mob hanging out over there? Oh shit there goes the neighborhood.
If you don’t like the casinos, LOCK UP YOUR HUSBAND AND FAMILY AND STAY OUT. One of you has a problem alright!
What I want to know is where are the gamblers getting the money to gamble?
Doesn’t Ohio have one of the highest unemployment rates? Why are proud Americans turning to gambling for jobs and income? Just wondering!
Really I don’t think god cares about nickel slots, Cristians are so hypocritical. They bomb abortion clinics and chastise anyone with other believes then theirs in the name of religion, but I can’t play slots! Shut up and go to church and stay out of the casinos prudes!
Casino’s will be a good thing for the state, I lived in Indiana when they recieved casinos and worked at one for 5 years. The state was able to improve roads, new vehicles for fire, life squad and police along with the county vehicles. The tax casinos will pay will benifit the schools as well as the tax payers. Addiction to gambling is a problem with some individuals but at some point people must look at themselves and not blame a casino for the problem. Self accountibility is an important quality all us individuals must have. Give it a chance crime doesn’t increase and the sterotype of drugs prostitution and crime is not the same as when vegas was first created. Drive over to the Indiana casino towns and see how it has revitalized those communities.
Enough about sin, it’s a casino not a rape bar.
Très bien Ohio!! It is about time! I’m glad that Ohio has finally come around and joined the current century. People talk about the ills of gambling and the vices associated with it. What about the Ohio Lottery, which pumps millions of dollars into our schools each year? What about the estimated $1 billion that Ohioans spend each year in our neighbor states instead of here at home? As many have said above, for those who want to gamble to excess, these new casinos will not be any more of a temptation than playing poker with friends, playing the state lottery, going to the horse racing tracks, or betting on line.
What about personal responsibility in all of this? Why must we continue to blame the state, local and federal governments for our own problems?
It seems to me that if we had taken some measures like this a few years back, we might not be in as bad of an economic state as we are now!
Lastly, what in the world does “god” have to do with any of this? People need to stop spending so much time talking about the “good book” and get out and see the world. The reality is that “god” helps those whom first help themselves.
If things are going to be so “bad” with casinos, that would imply that things are so “good” now… well, show me just how good things are with 10% unemployment, declining populations in most areas of the state, shrinking funding for much-needed programs and a severe lack of reasons for businesses to want to come and hold conventions, conferences, etc. and establish themselves in our state.
Well done Ohio. Well done indeed!
I think this will create a lot of jobs. Not only the jobs within the four or five Ohio Casinos, but the construction jobs to build them. I don’t think one Casino in each of the four cities is going to ruin the state. As far as crime increase goes, if crime increases exponentially, guess what? More police jobs should open up. With all the money the casinos give to the cities, the cities should be able to afford more police.
I have no intentions of spending any time in a casino unless I get hired there. I do not expect the one casino in Cleveland to be anything like all of Las Vegas. I expect it to be one Casino… And developers are smart people. I believe that Casino will reflect the culture of cleveland to some extent, and it will not be the existing skyline plus one giant sphinx … I think it will be designed to fit in.
And there are still going to be places like Chagrin Falls and Hudson and Shaker ( to name a few ) that will be far out of reach from all this, and everyone who has a problem can move to an area where this will not effect them.
I think this is a smart move, and so do the majority of voters or it would not have passed.
Gambling, when done in moderation, is for entertainment purposes only. I worked in Detroit for years and the Casinos were a fun, money-making and job creating addition to downtown. It does not have to equate to “illegal activity.” There is illegal activity around the state of Ohio (the Cleveland serial killer, the woman who killed her infant in Texas, etc) without blaming casinos.
This issue passing will create jobs and revenue from the ground up. The facility has to be built in conjunction with code, inspectors have to approve it, employees have to be hired, trained, and manage it. There will be peripheral business such as hotels, restaurants, shopping, etc. People bitch about “sin” coming here – if you have a better plan to generate money for Ohio let’s hear it.
This comes down to self control, we deserve casinos in Ohio and its best for our people. For those of you who continue to talk about family issues with gambling, remember a little thing called self control. The tax dollars deserve to stay in the peoples area, and driving out of state removes that money. Im sorry so many people have gambling issues, i myself have a highly addictive personality but find this excuse to be BS. Learn to control yourself and put your family before your gambling entertainment and all will be well. As for the organized crime, i say BS, Ohio is horrible for crime, maybe having an organized crime family here will remove these little punks running around the streets robbing and killing random people.
WOHOO! It’s about time! I want to thank all those who voted and see the bigger picture here. For the rest, I do believe in God; HOWEVER, I do believe that casino’s don’t make us bad people, we already are! The person who wrote that nickel slots broke up your family, it sounds as if there were underlying issues there other than nickel slots. Don’t blame us for your issues.
Also, this will give more money to cities for them to hire more police, fire, etc (MORE JOBS) to handle the population, if understaffed.
People never cease to amaze me, with their ignorance! I see so many talk about free choice and allowing people to do their own thing, well maybe next – equality rights for all!! LET’S REALLY MAKE OHIO GREAT and a place people WANT to come to!!!
Whatever happened to personal freedom in this country? No body is forcing anyone to go to a casino and be addicted to gambling. You can’t legislate morality on a people, it has been tried and it doesn’t work. Prohibitions DO NOT WORK!!! A government body cannot tell a person what he can or cannot do. People should not be told what to do and what not to do because a few people think it is immoral. If a person has a problem he should pray to God for his own sake, and not force his version of God onto everyone else.
I think it is the best that issue#3 passed.
My team can get more and more money from the casino. Why we should care about sin or poor people? They always trap in debt but I do not care (do I?). Our politicians do the best job we should pround of them. Give them a big big hand.
I have read over many of the entries on this subject and people are calling each other names and pointing fingers and yelling at each other. Has anyone that has written in here actually lived in a city where gambling was brought in. Well I have, and I will say yes it brought in lots of money, it brought in a few jobs, mostly people were brought in from out of state casinos to work the casino high paying jobs and the low paying min wage jobs were filled by locals. Yes it brought in money for the schools, schools had nice new computers and had nice new building and teachers were paid extremely well. The roads were paved lovely no potholes. The new buildings looked Vegas like with all the lights and glamour. The town had no crime, I mean no major crimes. Six months they had their first murder\mugging in 125 years, they were mugged and killed in the parking lot of the casino after they won 500 dollars. Prostitution moved in, and hookers were working the casinos. Drugs started pouring into the towns because all the high rollers wanted drugs woman and liquor. DUIs went up, divorce went up, petty theft crimes went up, muggings that did not exist started. Armed robbery went up, and all the new cops well if they were not corrupt before the casinos came they were certianly on the take after. You wanted money to come into the state, well it is coming into the state, it will raise lots of tax money in about 4 years does not help now, but in 4 years we will have tax money. Instead of gambling the money away why dont you just give it to the state, I mean you gamble 100 dollars a week, give fifty to the state and give fifty to a charity, the state will miss use the money and the charity will use it for good, the only thing you just did not get 10 minutes of excitment to bet on 21.
It is a sad day in Ohio, greed got this country into the shape it is in now, and Ohio is now going to be in worse shape because greed will now ruin families jobs, and our moral fibers.
Lets not forget all of the out of work police officers across the state…More crime+more tax revenue=more cops in the streets. So while the number of crimes is likely to increase, so will the number of arrests and convictions. Its not like this increase of “criminal activity” will go unchecked.
My point is, if you don’t support the casinos simply don’t go! But please dont push your religious agenda on the rest of us. Ohio is not going to turn into Soddam and Gamora over night because of 4 casinos.
Why does everyone get stuck on the money making and taxes of Ohio. I want casinos so that I can spend MY money the way I want to. If I want to gamble, thats my right, and my money. If you don’t like it, go to your churches and pray I go to hell. Otherwise, go cry about something else.
Laura Vance November 4, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I think the passing of issue 3 was a very bad idea. Our family has already been, just about, torn apart by the nickel slots here in Ashland and Mansfield. It’s just a bad idea. Can’t wait to say, “I told you so.”
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I’m sorry to hear that Laura, but it was not the casinos who forced the hand to put any money in to those slot machines. It’s called establishing self control and taking responsibility for your actions.
Ohio sucks
Bill November 4, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I’m so glad that the casino gambling bill was approved. I think the next step is to start working on legalising prostitution and and drugs like meth and cocaine. We could put a lot of money back into the economy that way. Come on Ohio think about your neighbors wallet. There’s money in there that he doesn’t need.
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Bill,
I understand your comment about Meth and Coke is sarcasm. However, I once wrote a paper on legalizing all drugs (no I am not a drug addict), and during my study I found one instance in particular quite interesting. Once country (I believe it was the Netherlans or Denmark), legalized all of their drugs. The first year, drug use was at an all time high, but by the second year it was at an all time low. I’m not syaing legalize everything, but I am saying that the justice system fails when it comes to drug users. Spend the money on rehabilitation and not sticking them in a jail cell so they can determine how to not get caught next time. We lost billions of dollars fighting the war on drugs and have nothing to show.
WOW! People think that gambling is a sin? maybe you should go back to church! look again at the 10 commandments! thou shall not gamble? where is that one? Leave our God out of this sillyness! Casinos will give money to Ohio counties that need money for schools and police also JOBS!
People say a lot of the jobs will go to out of state workers – well, hasn’t everybody realized yet that our entire nation is in a crisis? not just ohio. No matter who gets jobs, it will be helping people. We all effect each other. Fruit you get in ohio comes from workers in california, but should we outlaw that fruit because it is not paying ohio workers? I really wish some people could look at the bigger picture, and see that we are all connected whether you like it or not. We all support and rely on and harm each other, in every state in America. We should not be so selfish as to only want to see Ohioans gain jobs when people nationwide need work as well.
and why do people feel the need to bring God into everything? This was a political issue. Although one anti-casino commercial did mention that the devil is in the details, this should not have anything to do with religion. I think the people worried about ruining their families or being taken over by sin should keep to themselves and pray if that is what makes them happy, and leave the rest of us to our FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
maybe now people will open their minds to other beneficial legalizations as well. Wake up!
Look how much more money will now be kept in Ohio instead of the surounding states. The only people who should be upset is them. Times are changing it is about time people in Ohio look at the pros and stop being stuck on negitive or what will happen. Lets give it a chance and then go from there.Your grandparents lived in a diffrent time we must adjust and stop worrying about what was right or what they did. Live life if you like gambling dont go if you hate people who do then I say look in the mirror and ask why do you have hate in your heart:? Go with the flow be part of the solution or become a front porch door sitter with your negitive additude and think about why you are sitting there by yourself while the world keeps moving and you are miserble standing still while your neighbors enjoy what time they have left in this wonderful life. One more thing go do something positive for you community instead of sitting here sharing your hate writing on forums!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow Kris Surbrook, you really sound anti-Jesus! So sorry for you! Just remember that for someone to win really big it just means that a whole lot of others had to lose. In a state with a losing economy, we just made it that much worse. Lets vote this in and make everyone feel like losers. Yea!
As for Andrew the Bible speaks of good stewardship! Gambling in any form doesn’t fit the idea of ‘good’ stewardship. It’s a risk that will seldom ever pay off.
Very concerned about our future Ohio!
I am so dissapointed… I think its rediculous we had to welcome something so horrible into our state. I am not religious and I think we should have more jobs and money in Ohio but we could have found other businesses or ways to do so. It is too bad I couldn’t vote this year. They say American’s can speak their mind and have a voice but for the people who will have to grow up with this stupid decision that their peers have made is just sad. I wonder what will happen to this already crime filled state now that these casinos are here. People should have looked up the facts before they voted. I can’t wait until I turn eighteen so I can vote. I wish people would think about the upcoming generations more. This is going to affect us too.
Im just not seeing what you nay sayers are. Its more jobs for OUR state, its more money for OUR state. We lose billions of dollars every year from out of state gambling. This will let us bring that money back where it belongs. 33% of their revenues go towards the state and over 50% of that goes to schools. I still see no problem here. If you are “tore apart because of nickel slots” then stop playing, if you are mad because you lose $300 in 30min dont gamble, you people are the reason the country is so bad. And God? He doesnt have anything to do with anything. Just because its your religion to believe doesnt mean its anyone elses.
For those who opposed this because they believe everything they see on television, maybe you should do a little research before you call those who are educated “retarded.” Those “Anti-Issue 3″ adds were funded by private racetrack owners that did not want this to pass because they would lose millions on their slot machines and gambling.
As far as the casinos bringing people in from out of state to work in the casinos- GREAT! Those people will pay taxes in Ohio, buy homes in Ohio, support Ohio restaurants, etc, etc. If you believe that none of these jobs will go to Ohioans at all, you are simply dillusional. Do you honestly believe that casinos are going to relocate thousands of employees? If you have a decent job, you would have an idea of how much a relocation of just one employee costs.
I am actually not a gambler at all. I do believe that each person has a right to choose what they do with their money. If they decide to donate it to the needy or put it in the slots, it is none of my business. A casino going up closer to my home is not going to make me gamble.
For those of you talking about sin, God gave us free will. What each individual decides to do with it their own business. Nobody is forced to go to a casino because it is built in their city.
This is the greatest thing that could happen to Ohio. Now we will have money to go toward schools and other things. The unintelligent fucks that are addicted to gambling so much so that it would ‘tear apart’ a family will go to indiana or michigan to play poker, blackjack, or slots, if necessary. And thankfully, the money brought in from the Casinos will take away some money from our neighbor state, Indiana. Indiana is the worst part of the country to be in. The residents are all rude. They are a different breed of people. They can’t drive worth fucking shit, and all should be removed from society via genocide (Similar to the events of the Holocaust of 1939-1945.) If only Adolf Hitler would have invaded Indianapolis instead of Warsaw..
Dena-
What exactly is your plan to create these higher level jobs? We have great higher level education in Ohio, but if you haven’t read the news lately not many jobs. You should probably be able to back your statement up with a plan before calling people idiots. Maybe you should run for a political office if you have these answers. Maybe President Obama is looking for another advisor….
I personally am so glad Ohio passed Issue 3. I will refer you to Dan’s Comment if you need more information. Haha. If you don’t like it you should have voted against it, and if you did vote against, well obviously there’s a majority of folks who disagree. PLEASE DONT BRING GOD INTO THE CONVERSATION.
While I have no moral issue with Casinos, issue 3 is trash. It writes an unconstitutional Casino MONOPOLY into the CONSTITUTION of Ohio.
Only 1 Casino can be built in each of the cities and the regulations for those Casinos are written into the Constitution, any future changes will have to be made through a proposed amendment and state-wide vote.
If you wanted freedom, you should’ve waited for a constitutionally valid Casino proposition.
Fail.
Are you guys crazy??? Visit the casino’s out of state near our borders and see how many Ohioans are there? I’m sick and tired of paying alot of my hard earned money to take care of folks who won’t take care of themselves. Keep our money here in Ohio and let us Ohioans go to our casino’s to gamble. I’m responsible enough to know my limits. As violence, protitutes and etc, we already have it and I don’t see it getting any worse due to casino’s. As for the folks calling others retards, idiots, etc and saying they can’t wait to say “I told you so”…GROW UP!!
Move over Governor, the organized crime is moving in.
It still amazes me to no end that people will come on here and criticize those that pass this issue and base it on what God wants and losing religion…
Here’s an interesting thought….why, OH WHY, do Church fundraisers, Church sponsored events, Bazaars, ALL have PULLTABS (aka INSTANTS), 50/50 DRAWINGS, and even some with POKER, BLACKJACK, DICE, and SHOWDOWN (a form of 5-card stud poker).
THIS LOOKS LIKE GAMBLING TO ME. Despite the fact that the PROCEEDS (charity term for PROFIT in the business world) go to the church and organizations…this seems EXTREMELY hypocritical.
Come back here after your churches or schools (oh yeah….BINGO) stop having these things at these events, THEN you can say God this and God that….
Otherwise…point made.
Now, besides that….gambling and going to the casinos is a CHOICE. If you don’t want to gamble…don’t go. It’s quite simple. Even if the issue did not pass, people are still going to go to Indiana, Michigan, Windsor, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Tunica (I’ll stop here for now) to go gamble.
Incidentally, the suburbs of Las Vegas have a relatively low crime rate (by percentage – somewhat skewed because of tourism), and per capita, have some of the best schools, churches, organizations and clubs in the country…and this is the gambling MECCA of the country. The key is to build the casino away from residential areas.
If Ohio does it right, it will be successful….do it wrong, and it’s just like anything else that’s done poorly…it will fail.
Oh….incidentally…I don’t gamble.
To anyone who likes issue three look at the cities that have casinos… prime example my beloved city of Detroit. Casinos have plagued that city ever since they have been there.
This is too bad, another tax on the poor, the casinos are ready to pay the heavy tax for being here, thats because they are really just giving the state the money to those that use the casino most-the poor. Be ready for tough times for welfare. This couldnt come at a worse economic time for all of us(except the casino owners)
To the people who are justifying the crime and debauchery in this country and state as a lack of religious morality should further evaluate the core issues and problems. Instilling and projecting an abnormal amount of belief in something that may or may not be real is a vastly bigger gamble than any game of poker or craps. Please just let people make their own choices, under their own beliefs, just as you do, when you throw your money to collection bins on Sundays.
I can’t tell you how sick I am of hearing these religious idiots spouting off on things they know nothing about. And why do they feel obligated to shake their finger at gamblers? Because they base their lives on what a book says is sinful…a book that also says a man lived inside of a giant fish for a few days. Give me a break.
As for the argument of casinos ruining families..nonsense! I believe someone mentioned this earlier, but the addiction is already a part of the person gambling away their money. We’ve had lottery for years! If someone is addicted to gambling in this state I can assure you they found plenty of ways and places to satiate their addiction before these casinos. This argument is like blaming McDonald’s for your neighbors fat ass.
Great job, Ohio! We needed more entertainment in this state. I was for Issue 3 not because of the job creation, increased revenue for the state, or what have you but, as mentioned, I just wanted more entertainment options.
Don’t think that I forgot about you fear mongering people who have posted about crime. Really? Increased crime? Show me statistics and not just right-wing bible-thumping opinions.
My last thought before I finish up is aimed (again) at the bible-toters. Why would you feel so offended if not as much money goes to the state as what they want us to believe but rather fills the pockets of casino owners? How much money do you drop twice a week at your church? I forget, do religious establishments have to pay taxes?
“”"This is tragic, we are now saying to count on sin to carry us through hard times, Why did everyone forget to count on God.”
Hey Kem,
People like you, who would be against the choice that is obviously, the best direction for the state to go, in the name of your religion, confound me. So you really think that all the jobs and revenue that this is going to generate are a sin? There is a simple solution that people like you don’t seem to be capable of grasping. If you don’t like the casino do go to it, likewise, if you don’t like something on T.V. don’t watch it, if you don’t like same gender relationship’s, don’t date someone of your same gender and you wont have to worry about it.
So you and Jesus can kick it at your house and keep each other company, I’m going to shoot some dice at our new casino!!!”"”"”"
******* this is a classy comment!!!!! Rock on dude!
No matter how you feel about gambling this issue was a nad deal cuz it gave a monopoly to one company. Imagine if the bill was to make British Petroleum the only place you could buy gasoline nobody would vote for it cuz you need competition. But we’ve just done the same thing for the companies building the casinos. Why?
What is said is all the religious morons on here that would rather restrict freedoms in the name of faith. The US was built on freedoms and all they want to do is take them away because they don’t believe in them. Freedom comes in having the choice to participate or not, if you don’t like them, don’t believe in them, don’t go/do them, its that easy. Stop shoving your ideals down our throats. You bible thumpers are the biggest hypocrites ever.
Very disappointing. Boy can’t wait for the utopia to begin here in Ohio now that the casinos are coming. Jobs & Money galore!!! Woohoo!!!Didn’t they promise the same thing when the Ohio Lottery was voted in…education was suppose to rock and roll with the money from the lottery rolling in…ummm yeah, that worked. Too bad I’m not Julia with just memories of Ohio, instead I gotta live right next door to the casino that’s gonna be build…awesome.
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