Thirty percent of the revenue would go to college scholarships. Eight percent would to every county in the state for county development money. Six percent of the revenue would go to Ohio's purse pools at the racetracks and 55 percent would go to the track owners with 1 percent going to addictive services. Out of the track owners 55 percent would come the licensing fees per machine, new construction for entertainment complexes at the track and wages for thousand of new employees. Track owners hope to clear 9 percent. What other business in Ohio gives away forty-five percent of profits before taxes?
Issue 3, if passed in November, will supply college scholarship money - an estimated $852 million for all Ohio students starting in the year 2009. Money for each county to use for economic development would be substantial. Scioto County for example would receive an estimated $740,000 for development and $189,000 for addictive services.
Ohioans already leave Ohio in droves. They spend $1.1 billion annually in neighboring states. Let's keep Ohio dollars in Ohio. Opponents cite social costs such as crime and prostitution. These problems are non-existent at the Indiana riverboats and other states that have this. I ask what has the three main opponents of Issue 3 - George Voinovich, Bob Taft, and the Ohio Roundtable - done for higher education In Ohio?
Mary Jo Rini-Bross
Portsmouth
It's time to clean house and make a change in government
Isn't it odd that gas prices are falling for no apparent reason. I mean, we still have a shortage, right? That's no reason to drop prices.
This is still the hurricane season, isn't it? We are still at war in Iraq, aren't we? The pipeline in Alaska is still shut off for repairs. People are still using large amounts of gas to go to work, vacations or to just simply drive around.
I see just as many cars and trucks on the road as before. So what's the real reason for prices coming down? Did the oil companies just decide to give us a break, huh? I don't think so. I believe if they can lower gas prices just like that for no apparent reason, then they should have never raised then to begin with.
Their reason for higher gas prices was phony to start with. The public has been getting milked the last eight years not only from the oil companies, but from our elected officials as well. Why? Because, this happened without any objection at all from any of our so-called political representatives. There was no shortage that I found because every station I stopped at had plenty of gas to sell to me as long as I had $3 a gallon.
Back in World War II, gas was rationed and everyone only got so much gas each week, even then prices stayed the same. Why didn't that happen this time if there was a shortage? Oil companies made billions from a sympathetic public for no reason at all, except to gain huge profits and take advantage, while oil people held political office.
I won't forget at election time, will you? Gasoline still should be 75 cents a gallon, more than that means we are getting ripped off. It has all been political. I think we have a lot of deadbeats in our politics that are holding office right now. Republicans and Democrats alike. They haven't listened to the people, haven't done anything for the people and don't care about the people. If they cared they would do something about the oil companies ripping us off.
The people have spoken, but it means nothing, because it is all about money folks. It is hard to fight big business when your political officials are standing in their corner and not in yours. You can change this at the voting booth. It is time to clean house Ohio, put the political official in your corner and get these lazy do nothing political officials who have milked their jobs for so long that you only see them or hear from them when the elections are near.
I have decided to try to make a change, put new blood in office. It sure can't hurt to try. It could be better, although we are already close to going down the drain, if it isn't already too late. It is up to us, the people to show courage and get out and vote for a better life. Folks, I have the courage to do this. Join me.
Bernard Elrod
Stout
Strickland supporter backs him, upset with Blackwell bashing
I am supporting Ted Strickland for governor because when my husband, Ronald Hodge, was fighting for his disability because he was battling cancer, I wrote Ted Strickland and called his office in Wheelersburg to see if he could help. One of his staff members called back and talked to my husband and said that they were very upset that he had to fight so hard for his disability when he had worked for more than 25 years, had a high school diploma and was between 35 and 45.
Ted wrote the Social Security office and then it wasn't long after that that my husband received his Social Security disability. But unfortunatly, I lost my husband on June 27. The cancer took him away.
I really think that Ted would be the best governer that Ohio can have and I just want to say that I back him all the way. I was really upset the way that Blackwell bashed him that night. I wanted to let him know that he can use my story if needs to on some of the things that he did to help us hard working people at the time we needed him he was there.
Regina Hodge
Portsmouth
Another reader supports Issue 3 to make a vote for education
As one of the people petitioning this summer for the “Learn to Earn” amendment, I am asking all Ohioans to vote yes on Issue 3.
Some people, when told that the issue was tied to gambling, walked away, not realizing that Issue 3 will make Ohio millions of dollars a year in tax revenue, not to mention providing more than $80,000 a year in college scholarships.
After reading more into the amendment, it provides a few things which make it safe to pass. First, unlike the lottery, Issue 3 is worded to make sure that it is an add-on to the education fund and cannot be substituted in something else's place. Secondly, it also alots funding for Gamblers Anonymous, which doesn't come from the taxpayers' pocket. Lastly, it provides that Cuyahoga County would house the state's only casino, if the Cleveland voters chose so in a separate petition. On Nov. 7, make a vote for education in Ohio and vote yes on Issue 3.
Willis A. Harper III
Lucasville
November election letter deadline
The Portsmouth Daily Times will accept letters to the editor regarding election races and issues through Monday, Oct. 30. Letters will not be published after Wednesday, Nov. 1. Letters to the editor from candidates will not be accepted.
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