Lawmakers Question Issue 3
Posted: 4:52 pm EST November 4, 2009Updated: 9:35 pm EST November 4, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- State lawmakers from the Miami Valley said they want Ohio to get more tax money from the casinos.Just a day after Issue 3 voters passed the issue, lawmakers are already talking about making changes to the casino plan. Their motivation is to get a better deal for taxpayers and the state.Lawmakers are talking about changing the constitutional amendment approved by voters.State Rep. Jarrod Martin, a Republican from Beavercreek said, "Oh, I think this is just the beginning."Martin said it is unfair that the casino companies wrote their own deal on taxes and regulation."To make the changes I feel would be beneficial to the state, it would have to go back to the ballot," said Martin.Martin wants to change the tax rate, add more local control, and give out the casino licenses only to the highest bidder.Others said smaller changes would improve the deal without a vote of the people. Rep. Clayton Luckie, a Democrat from Dayton said, "Now as legislators, we have to make the rules and tweak it to better help the government."Some lawmakers are even calling for quick action to ensure taxpayers get much more money.Rep. Clyde Evans of Rio Grande said, "This is going to them 60 percent of the take, rather than one third of the take. Don't you think they would want that deal?"No one formal proposal has come forward yet, but it may be only a matter of weeks if the governor and lawmakers can agree on a plan. If it goes to a ballot, we may see it in the May primary next year.
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