Critics lining up against Ohio slot proposal

Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The opposition is lining up against a proposal to allow lawmakers to place electronic slot machines at Ohio's seven racetracks without a constitutional amendment.

Gov. Bob Taft, Methodists organized against gambling and some conservative House Republicans object to the slot machines.

"This is just an illustration of some state legislators floating an idea that's without merit," the Rev. John Edgar, of the United Methodist Church, said Wednesday. "It's a bad idea from beginning to end."

Edgar said the proposal was unconstitutional and gambling opponents would sue immediately if the legislation was enacted.

Sen. Lou Blessing said he will introduce a bill this week to raise $500 million a year for the state's education budget with the gambling machines. He said he has enough support in the House and Senate to get the bill passed. He first discussed the option Tuesday.

Unlike previous proposals, Blessing's legislation would allow lawmakers to implement the machines instead of placing the concept on the ballot as a constitutional amendment.

Blessing, a Cincinnati Republican, said this approach was easier because some lawmakers balk at changes to the Constitution. Blessing said he expects the issue to end up on the statewide ballot anyway because opponents will force a referendum.

"If we don't do this we're going to either have some drastic cuts or the dirty word, 'tax increase,' " Blessing said. "What do you want to do? You tell us."

State officials are predicting a deficit for Ohio's two-year budget beginning July 1. They haven't said how big.

While Republicans control the House and Senate, several GOP lawmakers oppose the idea.

"It's the wrong public policy for Ohio to rely on gambling income to solve the budget problems that we have," Rep. Mike Gilb, a Findlay Republican, said. He favors further budget cuts.

Gov. Bob Taft will veto any slot machine bill that comes before him and campaign against any proposal on the ballot, spokesman Joe Andrews said. Taft, a Republican, considers the machines a form of casino gambling, which Ohio voters twice rejected in the 1990s.

Andrews pointed out that Taft's Democratic opponent on Nov. 5, Tim Hagan, supported slot machines and lost 82 of 88 counties.

"I think we're on the right track," Andrews said.

Senate President Richard Finan said things have changed since the voters turned casinos down.

Since then, Indiana opened riverboat casinos, plans were made to allow casinos in Detroit and West Virginia legalized video slot machines, he said.

Ohioans must decide "whether they want to gamble or whether they want higher taxes," Finan said. "I feel pretty good about that decision, which way it would go."