Governor, legislators agree on budget terms

[YOUR MOM]

Terrasalus wrote:

Think, voters. It's not an issue of slots vs no slots. It's an issue of whether we control our government, or it controls us. Thank you Topper, you said it well. If we let the gov't ignore the decisions of the voters on one issue, can we stop them when they choose to defy the will of the voters on the next issue?

So we just let the government raise taxes??? because they could do that without a vote of the people. So get off your high horse on the gambling issue, because I have a feeling you'd be the first in line to bitch about your taxes being raised! Educate yourself, would ya! Think! Again, get off the talk radio and think for yourself. Don't let the right wing crazies do the thinking for you - it's just an anger rampage -no thinking involved, just reacting.

[YOUR MOM]

Lynn K wrote:

Um, which kind of church was the governor a pastor in? Slot machines are a tax on people who didn't take statistics in school. Way to go!

What's church have to do with any of this. the gov is a good man trying to do what's best for the people of Ohio. I honestly believe he did not want to raise taxes so he went with the gambling. So ask yourself would you rather have the slots or have your taxes raised?? at least with the slots you can decide if you want to play. With a tax there are no choices - you pay regardless of your feelings...

[Topper]

Proposition 13 wrote:

Gambling is a significant source of revenue for states. See for yourself:
http://www.americangaming.org/Industry/state/...
Indiana -$838.19 million
Pennsylvania -$766.58 million
Michigan -$321.63 million
West Virginia -$430.24 million

And which one of these states are NOT in a finiancial mess ???......They're poorer than Ohio..........but with gambling I'm sure we'll catch up to them....

[John]

Jeff, great idea. We need to slam Sen. Harris and sen. Husted and your own state Sen . with all the call's we can make mnonday

[John]

I forgot to add thank you Gov. Strickland and thank you Rep. Clayton Luckie for all your help. Horsemen of this state are very grateful

[Topper]

The editorial in Saturdays Dispatch says it best.
Word limitations won't allow a re-print here, but it can be read at

http://dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/s...

[Andrew]

This is, pardon the pun, a huge gamble on the part of the governor - and by ignoring the will of Ohio voters regarding the expansion of gambling, the people have already lost.

[Paul]

Topper wrote:

The editorial in Saturdays Dispatch says it best.
Word limitations won't allow a re-print here, but it can be read at
http://dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/s...

I read the editorial and I believr the writer will be eating his words after the first set of figures have been posted. Our group goes on casino trips every month and at times they have to put on a second bus. Come tuesday it will be Mountaineer and on July 31st our city has busses going to the Meadows in Pa. every month we get a mailing of trips to neighboring state casinos. We always said,"Its too bad were bussing all this money out of Ohio. I think the 933 million is a low number It will be more.

[Lancaster Jeff]

We the People in Order wrote:

To Form a Perfect Union?!?! I now truly know who all Politicians work for! Not "We The People!" They work for "Big Lobbyist" There are better ways to Increase Revenues, but State Rep. and State Senators do not want to loose their funding for re-election!!. There should have been a Tax on Alcohol/Beer/Wine! This way a majority of Ohioans will be helping to keep Ohio running, there has not been a "Sin Tax" on these in over 20 Years! There should have been a drastic cut in "Subsidies" to Professional Sports, Retail Corporations, Big Health Care Insurance Companies, this is only a few! There is a 1.5% to 2% Sales Tax Kick Back to Retailers who turn in Sales Tax Money collected earlier than normal. There should be a Sales Tax on Coffee! This I know is not Taxed at all!(I would not object) I am appalled that Governor Ted Strickland even slightly entertained this thought!

HOW DO YOU TAX PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE MONEY? IF YOU TAX COFFEE PEOPLE WILL CUT BACK DRINKING IT OR EVEN QUIT. ALCHOL AND TOBACCO ARE THE SAME DEAL. IN FACT THE GOVERNMENT RAISES TAXES TO DISCOURAGE THEIR USE. IF PEOPLE GET AN ENTERTAINMENT VALUE FOR THEIR DOLLAR THEY WILL ENJOY THE GAMES AND THE PROJECT WILL BE A POSITIVE. YOUR APPALLED? WAKE UP AND WATCH WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING NOW. THE REASON THE STATE HAS THE PROBLEMS IT HAS NOW IS BECAUSE THE JOBS ARE DOWN. THERE IS NO MONEY TO TAX. DON'T YOU WATCH TV? THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH MONEY IN THIS STATE THAT WANT TO PLAY AND WE ARE FORCING THEM OUT OF THIS STATE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ROADS, SCHOOLS AND GENERAL ECONOMY OF OTHER AREAS. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY SPENDING THEIR MONEY RIGHT HERE AND HELPING OUR AREA. YOU ARE WAVING YOUR FLAG IN AN ATTEMPT TO COVER UP YOUR OBSTRUCTIONIST PERSONALITY. THAT MAKES ME APPALLED. I WILL BE VOTING FOR STRICKLAND TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM.

[Mike]

ichoosefreedom wrote:

As usual, money talks, BS walks! Bar owners in this state have been SCREAMING for some relief from the smoking ban but Strickland doesn't want to go against what he says is "the will of the voters", even though the voters voted for exemptions for private clubs and family owned businesses. But Strickland doesn't mind BLATANTLY going against the will of the voters who voted 3, no 4 times against gambling when it's his OWN finances that need to be saved. Small businesses in this state don't mean a DARN thing to this Governor. How much did the racetracks throw into the coffers to get Strickland to sell out his values?
Strickland helped me make up my mind as soon as he made HIS mind up against the small bar owners in this state. Where's John Kasich? I want to work his campaign.

You're in Indiana. Your comments are irrelevent.

[Cory]

Topper wrote:

The editorial in Saturdays Dispatch says it best.
Word limitations won't allow a re-print here, but it can be read at
http://dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/s...

Like I said before, Strickland stuck his neck out there to get this budget completed. I give him huge props for being the only one with balls. Everyone knew that raising taxes wasn't going to happen, and the people of Ohio would be hurting a lot more if we just cut $3 billion worth of spending. At least Strickland's executive decision to implement slots (which can be amended later) wasn't a complete scam like that constitutional amendment for one rich guy to open one casino we voted on last year.
People can bash this decision all they want, but Strickland is the only one who actually proposed a budget, the statehouse just picked at it and never came up with anything in response.

[I hope this was a joke]

Lancaster Jeff wrote:

Now if the race track owners put their best efforts forward as our leaders have this state can really make a come back. Those who are scared by the word "gambling" , don't panic. It's only a game no different than the scratch off tickets we play today. Is there any other state in this country that has 7 horse tracks? This will bring life to a seriously deprived industry in this state. I look forward to the day when people actually care about the OHIO DERBY. You will now begin to see those rural horse farms with empty stalls come back to life. Jobs will be created at the tracks and the supporting industries. In my opinion it's a great day for OHIO and CHEERS to Governor Strickland for having the stones to get it done.

Yep! Tjis is an instant winner! In just weeks we're going to see this state turn around with a budget surplus and money spewing out as a result of this! This is too funny. Was this a sarcastic joke?? This will not bring out nearly the money Strickland proposes. Keno has been a loser, the budget proposals Strickland originally brought out was a loser, and so is this. This guy's only idea of "leading" has been to beg for federal stimulus which we are basically paying for further down the road. This is nothing more than a plug on a bursting flood. Downsizing across the board amongts the state agencies is the answer...but of course that isn't popular. As a former state employee there is more waste than I can even write a novel about...

[Good Call Guv]

Andrew wrote:

This is, pardon the pun, a huge gamble on the part of the governor - and by ignoring the will of Ohio voters regarding the expansion of gambling, the people have already lost.

I did not realize the "the will of the voters" is wanting higher taxes or no services to the less fortunate. Wait, expanded gambling vs. higher taxes and/or cuts to programs that provide services to the less fortunate has never been voted on. I voted against the expanded gambling in the past as well, but it was more about the language in the amendments and no where did I see that my taxes would increase if it did not pass or did I see services to the less fortunate would be cut, as is the case here. By the way, we have gambling in this state (lottery, bingo, race tracks), why not keep these tax dollars at home? I believe the citizens of the state has lost nothing and gained a lot due to the decision of a true leader who went against his own personal belief for the best interest of the state. For the people talking about cutting state employees, you can can every employee from the state payroll, from the governor down, and you still have over a billion dollar deficit. I could be mistaken, but I believe state payroll is around 2% of the state budget.

[Shoulda raised my taxes]

I had no problem paying higher taxes 4 years ago, 3 years ago, 2 years ago, and last year, why would I have a problem paying them next year?

Instead, we're counting the days til we see the first race-track owner open up a hotel/resort next to their track, expand the pits, and invite everyone to action they can't get in vegas. Live races, slots, the VLT's will soon be on hand for poker and BJ.

[Lancaster Jeff]

Shoulda raised my taxes wrote:

I had no problem paying higher taxes 4 years ago, 3 years ago, 2 years ago, and last year, why would I have a problem paying them next year?
Instead, we're counting the days til we see the first race-track owner open up a hotel/resort next to their track, expand the pits, and invite everyone to action they can't get in vegas. Live races, slots, the VLT's will soon be on hand for poker and BJ.

Hey, feel free to send in any amount of money you feel you can handle. The state will be glad to take it. Go ahead and raise your own taxes this is a free country. Just send it in, nobody has to take it from you do they? Maybe if you send in enough they still won't need to make cuts.

[Terrasalus]

YOUR MOM wrote:

<quoted text>So we just let the government raise taxes??? because they could do that without a vote of the people. So get off your high horse on the gambling issue, because I have a feeling you'd be the first in line to **** about your taxes being raised! Educate yourself, would ya! Think! Again, get off the talk radio and think for yourself. Don't let the right wing crazies do the thinking for you - it's just an anger rampage -no thinking involved, just reacting.

You're scary. Speaking of education, have you heard of a document called the US Constitution? You appear capable of reading, so I suggest you look into this. Then again, if you consider the principles our country was founded upon "crazy", I doubt it will make a difference.

[Lib libraian]

All you stupid people in Columbus think about slot machines and race tracks. Where do you think people are getting the money to do this. You are all of education, education, education and literacy, literacy, literacy, but you want to cut the Library budgets...What is wrong with your little pea brains! You apparently don't want people to be liteate and have a good education, but you sure can spend money on the dumb slot machines. You all should Be FIRED TODAY! you are dumb and no nothing about libraries and what they offer to students, teachers, education, and college campus. Your PEA BRAINS SHOULD BE FIRED...

[Art]

Folks, be realistic tons of Ohio resident dollars are flowing into the casinos of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana and the State of Ohio is stupid to allow it to go uncontested. People in Ohio are going to gamble so take advantage of it and at least create some jobs and taxes because otherwise it's going to other states.