AP PHOTO
Art Schlichter
“Many young boys in Ohio grow up with a dream of playing football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Many would say the perfect dream would be to play quarterback and then get drafted to play in the NFL. What would cause someone living the dream to throw it all away?
“An All-American quarterback from The Ohio State University and a first round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts, Art Schlichter seemed to have it all. Something Art also had was an addiction to gambling. Three years after being in the NFL, Art was suspended by the league due to his gambling debts. He committed over 20 felonies to support his habit. He stole money from countless family members and friends. Art was a man living the dream, and he threw it all away to chase the false promises of gambling.”
The above photo and statement was taken from the Ohio Learn and Earn dot org website. Art Schlichter, the quarterback, threw away his career, his freedom in exchange for jail time because of gambling. He is living proof we should vote down gambling in Ohio.
We received the folllowing comment on yesterday’s article from Drew who said:
“gregjaye, I work with Ohio Learn & Earn group in supporting Issue 3 and wanted to provide some information from our side of the issue. ”While I understand your concerns I strongly disagree with them. I also assure you that Ohioans will continue to spend $1.1 billion per year on gaming in neighboring states whether or not Issue 3 passes. So why continue to channel that money into the economies of PA, MI,WV, IN and the wealthy casino owners in those states? That money can stay in state and benefit all of Ohio's children.
”In the long term, Issue 3 will benefit individuals and communities by providing affordable college educations for Ohio students, $200 million per year in local economic development money for all Ohio communities and new jobs.
”For anyone who is interested you can learn more at my group's website.
Drew, thank you for your comments. Here are a couple of key factors going in anyone’s decision in voting on Issue 3:
1. Learn and Earn Casinos will doom at least 109,000 Ohioans and their families to problem and pathological gambling addictions.
2. The Ohio Constitution is no place for the establishment of a mostly tax-free, private monopoly for a handful of privileged casino owners. This is a gross misuse of the Ohio Constitution amendment process. Such issues should be used for more weighty matters such as recriminalizing abortion and protecting one-man, one-woman traditional marriage.
3. Learn and Earn Casinos will move Ohio to a Class III gambling state under Federal Law and increase the risk of tribal casinos opening across Ohio.
4. Learn and Earn Casinos will place no revenue in the General Revenue Fund of Ohio.
5. Learn and Earn loopholes leave thousands of Ohio students out in the cold. There are no guarantees how much will be paid out in scholarships or when they will be paid. The top 5% grants disappear after just 12 years.
6. The Ohio Lottery was also supposed to be a panacea for solving all of our public school problems. They did not. Learn and Earn Casinos are a bad deal for students, parents, and colleges.
7. Gambling proceeds are exempted from state and local taxes.
8. Ohio casinos will drain $2 billion from the local economy costing Ohio jobs.
Sounds to me like there are too many questions and approving this amendment would cause only a promise of scholarships and only guarentee more Art Schlichters. Make A Good Choice this November and vote NO on Issue 3.
Ohio needs to do what's right regardless of what other states are doing. Leave the consequences to God. In regards to education funding, why we would we support funding education that teaches that things that we are against? See also my comment Oct. 13th post.
ReplyDeleteYes, Matt -
ReplyDeleteVoting No on issue 3 is the right thing to do, no matter if the other 49 states permit it. It takes guts to stand for what is right.
To think that you get something for nothing is foolish.
A prime example. I think its called Wheelling Downs (its on the island). The casino is beautiful. Yet the parking lot is half filled at best. And the surrounding neighborhood is in bad disrepair. Homes with broken windows, bad roofs. People drive by and plop their entertainment dollars to a rich casino owner. All the while they drive right past a fellow man and his family in need. We stopped by to peek at the casino, and we stopped to talk to a neighbor. He said no money ever goes to them, and they thought maybe tax dollars would help them fix up their homes. many are layed-off mill workers. It really showed a state of affairs in our country today. We'd rather throw money away on a dream than enjoy helping a neighbor in need. vote no on issue 3.
ReplyDelete