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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > March > 23 > Entry
AG Cordray rejects casino summary language
Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray on Monday, March 23, rejected proposed ballot language for a summary of a constitutional amendment to permit operation of four casinos in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus.
Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for the Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, the group backing the plan, said the changes Cordray recommended would be made and the proposal would be resubmitted to Cordray.
Cordray must give his approval on the language before backers can start gathering the 402,275 signatures from registered voters that must be turned in by July 1 to get the proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The plan is backed by Penn National Gaming, Inc. and Dan Gilbert, principal owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and founder of Quicken Loans.
In a letter to the committee, Cordray said that the language in both the summary and actual amendment appear to say that winning at the casinos would not be subject to the state and local income taxes. Winnings from gambling now are taxable by the state as ordinary income, Cordray wrote.
Tenenbaum said, however, that was not the intent of the language. It was meant to say casino winnings would be subject to existing state and local income taxes but not new casino-related taxes not included in the amendment.
Also, Cordray said the summary must include a fuller description of where in each city the casinos would be located because the actual amendment provides specific parcel numbers.
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Comments
By CN
March 25, 2009 5:16 PM | Link to this
People who want to gamble are going to find a way to do it, one way or the other. My friends and I have to drive to Indiana right now, and will continue to do so until casinos are available locally. By the way, apparently no one read about all the money the state of Louisiana lost from taxes when the casinos were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.By Marsha
March 25, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this
I am ready to vote for a casino amendment as long as it creates a state regulatory agency and doesn’t restrict to specific businesses or locations. Put it in the hands of the law makers.By Marsha
March 25, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this
I am ready to vote for a casino amendment as long as it creates a state regulatory agency and doesn’t restrict to specific businesses or locations. Put it in the hands of the law makers.By anti-monopoly
March 24, 2009 1:49 PM | Link to this
Remove the monopoly stipulations!! Lets vote on the legality of gambling in OhioBy flipper
March 24, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this
If you can control gambling, then you can control marijuana and prostitution. All are money makers and that is what is trying to be done. Create jobs and make big money , to heck with morality. Move over Las Vegas.By Alice
March 24, 2009 12:42 PM | Link to this
Yes, and in addition to the stripper poles and the money machines, let’s be sure and get a cash-advance place on the premises for all of the desperate and unemployed customers who don’t have any money left in the bank. The cash-advance place will create a few more jobs! At least they won’t be charged 300% interest in loan fees anymore!By Northerner
March 24, 2009 11:35 AM | Link to this
I’m with Bob - we need to PRODUCE something in order to have a strong economy. Otherwise the economy is ungrounded and subject to control by those with power and greed.By Random
March 24, 2009 8:50 AM | Link to this
In a 1996 study of gambling in Wisconsin: http://www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume9/Vol9no9.pdf Major crime up 6.7% Arrests up 12.2% 5,277 major crimes directly associated with gambling A 2007 study of gambling and crime nationwide: http://www.citizenlink.org/FOSI/gambling/cog/A000002180.cfm Every $1 in gambling revenue costs tax payers $1.90 Total number of crimes in a 30 mile radius of Atlantic City up 107% since gambling introduced The number of court cases filed in Tunica County, Mississippi, went from 689 in 1991, the year before casinos began operating there, to 11,100 in 1996. The number of police calls in Black Hawk, Colorado, increased from 25 a year before casinos to 15,000 annually after their introduction. The annual number of felony cases filed in Lawrence County, South Dakota, has increased by approximately 69 percent since the introduction of casinos to Deadwood. I think I’ll still vote NOBy CV
March 24, 2009 8:19 AM | Link to this
We would not be required to vote on these Constitutional Amendments if our State Legistlators would get some gumption and write a law that would pertain to whatever entity wishes to engage in Casino commerce (not just a select company). That sounds like free enterprise to me. This law could be negotiated just like any other enacted legistlation. Why should the company who will profit from an enterprise legislate their tax rate, etc.?By Sharp
March 24, 2009 8:13 AM | Link to this
I think Lewis may have something…. lets have pole dancing strippers IN the casinos!! We can have something interesting to watch while we throw our money away. And make sure there are enough bank money machines there. They look like slots, but charge so much that you loose your money just like gambling!!!By Bob
March 24, 2009 8:04 AM | Link to this
An entire economy built on gambling won’t survive. All casinos do is redistribute wealth. (From the poor [us] to the already rich [casinos]) We need industries in Ohio that actually produce something.By Frylock
March 24, 2009 12:02 AM | Link to this
Screw Penn National, they blocked the casino last November because they were left out. They said it would be bad for Ohio. I think we should replay their old ads against it come this November. No way I’d ever patronize Argosy or any other Penn Nat’l casino again after the crap they pulled to keep the casino out of Clinton county, which desperately needed those jobs (and still do)! Shame on them.By R J..Miamisburg, Oh
March 23, 2009 9:59 PM | Link to this
You have to wonder if Dayton being a short drive to Cincy and Columbus, is the reason Dayton was not part of getting a Casino?? I mean 50 minutes roughy to Cincy and 80 to Columbus.. While Toledo, is longer from Cleve and Columbus and Cincy. Of course Toledo is only about 50 minutes from Detorit where Casinos are full of Ohio lic plate cars. Same for Rising Sun, In and Lawrenceburg. Go some Friday-Sat-Sun and the lots are full of OHio cars..About time Ohio has Casinos.By Lewis's
March 23, 2009 9:57 PM | Link to this
OK WOULD THE PEOPLE VOTING NO, RATHER THERE BE MORE STRIPPERS ON POLES OR DECENT PEOPLE MAKING A LIVING AT A CASINO..WELL..ITS A CHOICE THAT WE SHOULD ALL HAVE RIGHT? LET US HAVE A FREAKIN CASINO..TO THE PEOPLE VOTING NO, IF YOU DONT WANT TO ENTER, KEEP OUT!!! DECENT JOBS FOR PEOPLE AND THESE IDIOTS ARE VOTING NO..ITS REDICULOUS!!! OHIO PEOPLE SUCK!!!By TFOL
March 23, 2009 7:50 PM | Link to this
As long as they try to amend the constitution I will always vote no! Change the law but not the constitution.By Sue
March 23, 2009 7:34 PM | Link to this
Jon, the smoking law is NOT in the state constitution.By nan
March 23, 2009 7:24 PM | Link to this
Jon, you said to “get what the voters want.” I believe the Ohio voters have voted no to casinos 4 times.By Rich
March 23, 2009 7:02 PM | Link to this
Wordell, don’t you think it’s entirely possible that Ohio law, particularly relating to proper ballot language, is different here than in Indiana or Kentucky? I’d be very surprised to find the laws in three different states to be identical — wouldn’t you? For example, a quick look at Indiana law on the official state website says that referendums are allowed, but the results aren’t necessarily binding. Laws CANNOT be put in place by voter initiative, because the state constitution says all laws must be approved by their legislature! So, surprise SURPRISE, laws ARE different in different states.By jon
March 23, 2009 6:59 PM | Link to this
State Constitution is a loose term it should be called State Rules. Anyway the reason we have to change the state constitution is that is the only way we have to get what the voters want.The Smoking bill is another example of changes to the State constituition.By nan
March 23, 2009 6:48 PM | Link to this
Since when do we amend our state constitution to allow someone a monopoly on any business in our state?By Wordell
March 23, 2009 6:28 PM | Link to this
Copy the “language” from gambling rules in Indiana & Kentucky. Get going, you useless politician!!!!!By bobby
March 23, 2009 5:45 PM | Link to this
This could be terrific news if the politicians in Dayton/Montgomery County get on board with revised language that includes Dayton. Inclusion of Dayton would eliminate the need for some of the pipedreams being proposed.