Ohio - Issue 3

Usually I don't get so opinionated with political issues but with the passing of Issue 3 that will allow casinos in Ohio, I was a bit disappointed. I think the promising of so many new jobs is not all it is cracked up to be. First of all I am sure they will bring in their own professional dealers to work the gambling tables. A family member told me, but they will hire Ohioans for cleaning positions, cooks, etc... These types of jobs are not what Ohio needs. We need good paying jobs with good benefits and full time positions. Most of the jobs will most likely be part-time with no insurance.

And then there is the tax issue. The casino will pay a 33 percent tax on gross revenue which is below the average paid by casinos outside of Nevada and Atlantic City. It is also below the rates paid in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The licensing fee to be paid to Ohio for the right to operate a casino is only going to be $50 million per casino. Illinois is going to charge $400 million for one in the planning stages. Two Indiana racetracks paid a one time casino licensing fee of $250 million each.

Come on Ohio, are we really doing so well we don't need to have a higher tax and licensing fee?

And lets not forget the children, yes the children of all the gamblers that will lose everything because they have never had it so easy to gamble their entire savings away. We the Ohio tax payers will be paying for their housing and medical care while their parents struggle to get their lives back in order after losing everything they own.

I think Ohio just got dealt a bad hand.