I’ve been scratching my head ever since this Strickland plan to legalize slots at horse tracks got passed- considering it was explicitly voted down. Thankfully- the Warren County Commission still has the good sense to point out this is a handover of a monopoly without a bid:
Warren County commissioners may challenge the governor’s video slot deal.
The commissioners believe the new deal Gov. Ted Strickland struck to get slot machines at the seven race tracks, including Lebanon Raceway, may be unconstitutional because it is essentially a law that benefits just the individuals who own the racetracks.
The commissioners asked their legal counsel to look into possibly filing a lawsuit.
via Racetrack slot deal could face challenge from Warren County [1].
One has to wonder how the Governor came up with the $65 million license fee too? An arbitrary number pulled from a hat. I’m not sure how much was spent in the last ballot issue over gambling, but, it had to be in the tens of millions. Gambling is big money- and how a racetrack that’s barely hanging in – like Lebanon Raceway, is supposed to come up with the $65 million for a license only makes me wonder.
Why we can’t just put out an RFP for gambling- and sell to the highest bidders? Why shouldn’t the Arcade owners be allowed to put in a casino? Or maybe Trotwood on the site of the former Salem Mall- or Hara Arena? Why racetrack owners? Why are we suddenly talking about Austin Road for a racetrack/casino? Who is on the take?
Warren County Commissioners actually ask why the government is giving a monopoly. Montgomery County Commissioners- try to sneak in a tax hike to fund a private ice arena for their buddy [2]
Maybe this is why Warren County has been growing while Montgomery County has been hurting.
I’m not opposed to gambling, especially in conjunction with our non-smoking laws, I think it would be great to have a non-smoking casino here in Ohio. While the voters have turned down gambling 4 times in Ohio, I think it was more an issue about how the bills were written than just a general opposition to gambling, but that’s just one person’s opinion (or one family’s anyway).
If we can have the Lottery we might as well have gambling. Sure, there are arguments to be made that gambling is a tax on the poor or the stupid, but there’s the libertarian (and justifiable) argument that adults should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they gamble and there’s the practical argument that people are driving down to Argossy and Grand Victoria and why not have a cut of the profits in Ohio?
Government is run by criminals who purposely make vice illegal, therefore boosting the price for vice all across the board.
It’s a beautiful money maker, actually.
Funny, if the casinos ran this country, we would be out of debt, have universal health care and have a shit pile of fun, booze and all. And a chance to win some cash.
But we have Dudley Do Rights running this ship, so we will always be over taxed and under serviced.