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Thursday, October 22, 2009
UPDATED with opponents’ report: Casino backers raise and spend $31M; Opponents raise, $5.9M, spend $5.3M
Backers of the plan to put casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo raised $31.1 million during the reporting period that ended Oct. 14, according to the report filed on Thursday, Oct. 22, with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
Coupled with $4.2 million raised earlier, that brought the group’s total contributions to more than $35 million. The Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee reported spending nearly $31.8 million during the last reporting period, ending with a balance of $188,213 in cash on hand.
In addition, the group reported in-kind contributions of $571,866. The cash contributions and nearly all in-kind contributions came from entities associated with the two Issue 3 backers - Penn National Gaming and Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, TruthPAC, the main opposition group, reported that it raised $5.9 million during the last reporting period, spent nearly $5.4 million and had cash on hand of $570,888. TruthPAC also reported in-kind contributions of $197,489.
TruthPAC’s money came mainly from MTR Gaming, Inc., which operates Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Chester, W.Va.
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New plan calls for legislature to regulate Ohio gambling expansion
Rep. Tyrone Yates, D-Cincinnati, wants elected members of the Ohio House and Senate, not private gambling interests, to decide if Ohio should have casinos or other forms of expanded gambling.
That’s a main reason that Yates on Thursday, Oct. 22, announced introduction of House Joint Resolution 5.
It calls for putting on the May 2010 ballot a proposed constitutional amendment “to allow the General Assembly to provide for and regulate the operation of certain lotteries and other forms of gambling.”
If approved, it would block future efforts such as the campaign for Issue 3 on the Nov. 3 ballot, said Yates.
Issue 3, backed by and written by Penn National Gaming and Cleveland Cavaliers’ majority owner Dan Gilbert, calls for casinos in Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo and Cleveland.
Yates opposes Issue 3 as a bad deal for the state.
Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for the pro-Issue 3 Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, said in an e-mail that Yates’ proposal clearly is meant to hurt the four-casino ballot plan.
“The General Assembly has had decades to seek voter authorization to establish casino gaming in Ohio. “There has never been a serious attempt to do so,” said Tenenbaum.
“We’re going to keep our focus on the campaign and continue to work hard to communicate to the voters Issue 3’s benefits in terms of job creation, economic development and tax revenue for local communities and schools.”
Yates’ plan is the second recent legislative proposal on gambling. Last week Rep. Dennis Murray, D-Sandusky, introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that, if approved, could result in 15 casinos statewide, including in Dayton and other Miami Valley communities.
To get his proposal on the ballot next May requires support of super majorities in the legislature - 20 of 33 senators and 60 of 99 House members.
“I said to myself, ‘Gee whiz, there is a better mousetrap,’” said Yates. “That is to authorize the state to authorize gambling and let the public design the framework for what the gambling proposal should be.”
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Montgomery County Dems endorse casino plan
The Montgomery County Democratic Party has endorsed Issue 3, the Nov. 3 ballot issue that calls for casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.
The endorsement puts the county party at odds with leading Democratic officeholders, including Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher who oppose the issue. Also, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-0hio, has cast an absentee ballot against Issue 3.
In a press release on Wednesday, Oct. 21, the county party said that the plan would bring jobs to Ohio and millions of dollars to Montgomery County, the city of Dayton and local schools.
“This plan will keep important money and jobs in Ohio,” Mark Owens, party chair said in the release. “The Montgomery County Democratic Party is proud to stand with local labor in support of State Issue 3.”
