Strickland is posturing himself to look like a social conservative. He appears to be headed to veto any legisltaion that expands gambling.
COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesday moved to clamp down on the proliferation of gambling by announcing he will veto a bill that allows betting on previously run horse races and wants a law that eliminates cash payouts on so-called games of skill.
Strickland and Attorney General Marc Dann said eliminating cash payouts and limiting prizes would go a long way toward controlling the betting parlors cropping up across the state.
Perhaps Strickland is more politically savvy than former Gov. Taft.
“Last fall, Ohio voters overwhelmingly rejected expanded gambling in Ohio, but nevertheless we are seeing a proliferation of devices that bear an uncanny resemblance to slot machines. That’s unacceptable,” Strickland said. “We need to close the loophole that’s allowing this to happen, and we need to honor the people’s will against expanded gambling.”
Dann and Strickland are asking the General Assembly for a law that says no cash, no tickets exchangeable for cash, no prizes worth more than $10, no aggregate of exchangeable prizes worth more than $600 in a year, no payouts of tobacco, liquor, drugs, firearms or lottery or bingo entries.
Instead, gamblers would receive tickets redeemable for prizes worth no more than $10, such as a video game or radio. It would be similar to a Chuck E. Cheese or a Dave and Busters, where children play games, earn tickets and redeem them for toys.
Husted is also keeping up his opposition to expanded gambling.
House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, “has always thought these machines were illegal and he supports a complete ban,” his spokeswoman Karen Tabor said. Neither a ban nor restrictions have been discussed by the House Republican caucus, she said.
It appears that stripper legislation has been on the agenda but not gambling. Maybe they will take the leadership on this issue away from the Governor. Then again… maybe not.
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[...] pretty wise to follow voters’ wishes on the issue. See also Conservative Culture, who thinks Strickland is acting like a social conservative, at least on [...]
Posted on June 13th, 2007 at 9:32 am
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