ISSUE 1 – NO TO MORE DEBT
The following editorial was written by businessman David W. Johnson and can be found in its entirety at www.AmericanRoundtable.com.
“There is a $500 Million ticking time bomb of debt that may well balloon by an additional $700 Million if the voters of Ohio are duped into approving Issue One on the May 4th Primary ballot. This ballot issue would extend the life of the Ohio Third Frontier program which has already spent almost $1 Billion supposedly transforming the “intellectual property” of Ohio’s universities into new high tech ventures at a multitude of corporations in Ohio and at some headquartered outside of Ohio.
“As noble a goal as this may be, Ohio can ill afford to continue to spend billions and billions of dollars that it doesn’t have. Though Issue One is billed as merely a “bond issuance”, and not a new tax - what is a state bond issuance if not a pledge of future tax revenue and perhaps future tax increases?
“With Ohio already facing a $7 Billion structural deficit…plus a projected $4 Billion unemployment loan to the federal government due in 2010…you would think that our elected officials would pull in the reigns and exercise fiduciary caution. But clearly this has not happened. Of course, it’s not their money. It is yours and mine…and future generations…that will be stuck with the tab long after the current politicos have retired and are enjoying their rich (unfunded pensions ...”
Read more at “Vote No on Ohio Issue 1 - Ohio’s Third Frontier: Ticking Time Bomb of Debt.”
ISSUE 2 – NO TO GAMBLING & TO MISUSING THE CONSTITUTION
The following information is an excerpt of an editorial written by Dave Zanotti, President of American Roundtable and also found on www.AmericanRoundable.com.
“It took casino consultants 22 years of defeats and over $100 million in wasted campaign spending to figure out that the way to win in Ohio was to cut the number of players at the ballot box. Casino gambling passed in Ohio because the amendment making it legal was placed on the 2009 off-election year ballot where voter turnout was fractional. Now the casino owners, with the willing help of the General Assembly, are placing a constitutional amendment on the May 2010 primary election ballot where turnout will be even smaller.
“The casino “big-dogs” got themselves in a jam in Central Ohio. The people there don’t want a casino. A handful of well-connected people there don’t want the casino near their business development either. So, Penn National agreed to move the casino to “the other side of town” and a much larger facility. Only problem is – the constitutional amendment Penn National wrote in 2009 prohibits the move. So in 2010, Penn National is using a primary election vote to erase their mess up and move their bigger casino into somebody else’s neighborhood.
“The casino industry, with the willing help of the General Assembly, has painted Ohio into a corner. The state constitution and the ballot box are now part of Penn National’s business plan. Even sadder, Penn has figured out that to expand their empire, all they have to do is place an amendment in a primary election where the majority of Ohio voters do not vote because they have no reason to vote …"
Read more at “Vote No on Ohio Issue 2 - Give the Constitution a Break.”
The following editorial was written by businessman David W. Johnson and can be found in its entirety at www.AmericanRoundtable.com.
“There is a $500 Million ticking time bomb of debt that may well balloon by an additional $700 Million if the voters of Ohio are duped into approving Issue One on the May 4th Primary ballot. This ballot issue would extend the life of the Ohio Third Frontier program which has already spent almost $1 Billion supposedly transforming the “intellectual property” of Ohio’s universities into new high tech ventures at a multitude of corporations in Ohio and at some headquartered outside of Ohio.
“As noble a goal as this may be, Ohio can ill afford to continue to spend billions and billions of dollars that it doesn’t have. Though Issue One is billed as merely a “bond issuance”, and not a new tax - what is a state bond issuance if not a pledge of future tax revenue and perhaps future tax increases?
“With Ohio already facing a $7 Billion structural deficit…plus a projected $4 Billion unemployment loan to the federal government due in 2010…you would think that our elected officials would pull in the reigns and exercise fiduciary caution. But clearly this has not happened. Of course, it’s not their money. It is yours and mine…and future generations…that will be stuck with the tab long after the current politicos have retired and are enjoying their rich (unfunded pensions ...”
Read more at “Vote No on Ohio Issue 1 - Ohio’s Third Frontier: Ticking Time Bomb of Debt.”
ISSUE 2 – NO TO GAMBLING & TO MISUSING THE CONSTITUTION
The following information is an excerpt of an editorial written by Dave Zanotti, President of American Roundtable and also found on www.AmericanRoundable.com.
“It took casino consultants 22 years of defeats and over $100 million in wasted campaign spending to figure out that the way to win in Ohio was to cut the number of players at the ballot box. Casino gambling passed in Ohio because the amendment making it legal was placed on the 2009 off-election year ballot where voter turnout was fractional. Now the casino owners, with the willing help of the General Assembly, are placing a constitutional amendment on the May 2010 primary election ballot where turnout will be even smaller.
“The casino “big-dogs” got themselves in a jam in Central Ohio. The people there don’t want a casino. A handful of well-connected people there don’t want the casino near their business development either. So, Penn National agreed to move the casino to “the other side of town” and a much larger facility. Only problem is – the constitutional amendment Penn National wrote in 2009 prohibits the move. So in 2010, Penn National is using a primary election vote to erase their mess up and move their bigger casino into somebody else’s neighborhood.
“The casino industry, with the willing help of the General Assembly, has painted Ohio into a corner. The state constitution and the ballot box are now part of Penn National’s business plan. Even sadder, Penn has figured out that to expand their empire, all they have to do is place an amendment in a primary election where the majority of Ohio voters do not vote because they have no reason to vote …"
Read more at “Vote No on Ohio Issue 2 - Give the Constitution a Break.”
I work at U.C. and I keep getting pro-issue 1 garbage in email box. They keep saying how wonderful it is to get so much money to be used for quality, high-paying jobs and research -- such as $2 million for redesigning hospital gowns, trays, and bed pans! (Ok, they didn't really say bed pans, I thought I might add a little humor to this sad situation.)
ReplyDeleteI have also heard that the location that they are trying to move the casino is the poor side of town. This would hurt the poor.
I agree on both counts vote no on both one and two.