COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two controversial issues moved a step closer to making the November statewide ballot.

Backers of a proposal to mandate sick days for workers filed petitions with the Ohio Secretary of State.

Brian Dunn, Campaign Manager of Ohioans For Healthy Families, said the campaign began with an effort to convince state lawmakers to pass their proposal.

When lawmakers declined to move the plan forward, the group collected the required number of petitions signatures to take it to the ballot.

“Ohioans are hard workers and we all know that. They are the backbone of this state’s economy and they demand what is right. And they demand what is fair,” Dunn said.

Under the plan, employees of companies with more than 25 workers would be eligible to earn sick days off with pay.

The group previewed a television ad that showed a woman caring for her young daughter. An announcer said, “Every day thousands of middle class Ohioans face a gut wrenching choice; take care of their sick child or spouse or lose their paycheck or their job.”

While Dunn spoke, another group supporting a different ballot issue held its own news conference to announce submission of its own petitions.

The group MyOhioNow plans to build a $600 million casino and hotel complex northwest of Wilmington.

Spokesman Dr. Brad Pressman said he considers the potential loss of jobs at DHL in Wilmington “the Katrina” of Ohio and he hopes the casino will help.

“I think job creation is the number one priority of the state of Ohio. I know we can create stable jobs, permanent jobs, honest jobs,” Pressman said.

While the two groups handed in their petitions Tuesday, both face organized opposition.

The paid sick days plan is opposed by leading Republican lawmakers.

In a written statement Husted said the plan would be bad for the Ohio economy.

“This issue has the potential to be the single largest job killer our state has seen in decades,” Husted said.

Even Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, opposes the plan because he too is concerned about its effect on the jobs front.

Strickland recently attempted to bring supporters and critics together to work out a compromise so that the issue could be kept off the ballot.

So far, that effort has not produced tangible results.

The Ohio Roundtable, a business group also opposes the sick days plan. The group also opposes the gambling issue.

Rob Walgate, Vice-President of the Ohio Roundtable, said his group has successfully fought gambling issues in 1990, 1996 and 2006.

“The Ohio Constitution was not designed to be a tool for private companies to set up exclusive monopolies and drag money out of Ohio,” Walgate said.

Both issues are expected to make it onto the November statewide ballot.

Three other issues supported by lawmakers will also appear on the ballot to support economic development programs.

Another issue, to repeal part of Ohio’s recently passed payday lending reform law, may also make the ballot.

Jim.otte@whiotv.com