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Betras passionate about defeating State Issue 3
Published:Friday, October 9, 2009
PARTISAN POLITICS: Here’s a good indication about partisan politics in the Ohio Senate: Joe Schiavoni of Canfield, D-33rd, recently sent an e-mail touting a bill he cosponsored with a Republican that passed a Senate committee. The e-mail states it’s the first bill Schiavoni introduced to pass a committee in the nine months he’s been a member of the Senate. Yup, nine months and only one bill to get past a committee. Republicans control the Senate 21-12. What’s even more incredible about the partisan gridlock in Columbus is all this bill would do is make it easier to transfer property upon death. Candidates forum: The North Jackson Citizens Association will sponsor a forum for candidates running for Jackson township trustee and the Jackson-Milton Board of Education at 7 p.m. Monday at the Jackson Township Administration Building on Mahoning Avenue. Candidates night: The Masury Brookfield Women’s Club will host a candidates night at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Brookfield High School auditorium. Week off: I will be vacationing next week in beautiful Austintown. That means I won’t be writing a column for next Friday. skolnick@vindy.com |
When “I’ll try to talk without getting too emotional” came out of his mouth, it was time for Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras to betray his words.
The volume of his monologue grew louder and louder until he was yelling.
If someone opened a window in Youngstown City Council chambers on the 6th floor of city hall, people outside could have heard Betras.
It’s easy for Betras, a skilled attorney, to work himself into a frenzy — or at least appear to do so.
Issue 3, a state constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to build four gambling casinos in the state, is one that Betras publicly and passionately opposes.
Youngstown City Council voted 7-0 in opposition to Issue 3, and were going to do so regardless of what Betras said. Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, also at the council meeting, is among several co-chairmen of a group opposed to the casino issue.
Just because he was in front of a friendly crowd Betras wasn’t going to stop.
Betras opposes the issue not because it changes the Ohio Constitution. He also doesn’t oppose it because he doesn’t want to legalize gambling in the state.
His opposition is based solely on the fact that none of those four proposed casinos are being located in the Mahoning Valley.
“The issue isn’t whether you support or oppose gambling,” he said. “The issue is they passed us up.”
If voters approve the issue, the future locations of casinos would be in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.
Betras points out that the Valley has a higher unemployment rate than those four cities and is an area in desperate need of jobs and revenue.
“This area is hurting the most,” he said. The gambling proposal is “insulting and it’s a joke.”
Supporters of the gambling initiative say Youngstown and Mahoning County would each receive $3.5 million annually under their plan.
That’s $3.5 million than the city and county are receiving now from gambling.
But it’s not enough for Betras. The cities where the casinos would be located would receive considerably more money than this area.
“Columbus needs another job plan like we need another steel mill closing,” said Betras, who I presume was exaggerating.
And Betras apparently doesn’t have much faith in the state government, run largely by fellow Democrats.
“Whatever money we get [from the casinos] will be taken from the state” through reductions in the Local Government Fund, he said.
Betras said this issue needs the support of Valley voters to be passed statewide. [A recent Ohio Newspaper Poll shows the issue with 59 percent support statewide and only 38 percent in opposition.]
He then threw in another exaggeration for emphasis.
Betras claims the Mahoning Valley provides 20 percent to 25 percent of the Democratic vote in each election.
The Valley is definitely a Democratic stronghold. But even in the best of elections, Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties combined don’t come close to the Democratic vote totals from just Cuyahoga County.
For example, in 2006, when Democrat Ted Strickland was elected governor, 6.4 percent of his total general election vote came from the three Valley counties compared to 13.8 percent from Cuyahoga.
In that same year, the Valley provided 7.4 percent of the vote for Democrat Marc Dann, who won as attorney general and then resigned less than a year later. Cuyahoga gave Dann 12.8 percent of his total vote.
Also, playing on the premise that Democrats need the Valley is a flawed argument in this case.
Issue 3 isn’t a Democratic Party-backed bill. The passage of Issue 3 takes control of legalized gambling away from the state, which doesn’t please Democrats.
It will be interesting to see the vote totals from the Valley on this issue to see how much political strength Betras truly has.
Comments
Listen you guys, the Vindicator published polls for last years casino issue that had it up 20%+ and it lost by 22%!
This thing does not stand a chance.
NO ON ISSUE 3
I don't recall the newspaper publishing such a poll, Valleyred. Can you provide a link to that article or at least give the date it was published?
Betras (aka JIMBO/Timmy Ryan)
Maybe Youngstown's average income can't support a casino!
Maybe Betras needs to have his "15 minute of fame" tv spot evey once in a while like JIMBO.
What's with the Ranting and raving about?
Who's interests is he trying to protect?
Betras needs to listen to himself ranting and raving and he should do it in the confines of his bedroom mirror. He would do the Valley well by having a nice warm cup of
"SHUT THE F--- UP" when he gets up. Have it with JIMBO
Betras is so out of touch with what the "Joe-bag-of-donuts" average person in the Mahoning Valley thinks it's unbelievable.
Although I could have sworn one of the following three polls was published in the Vindicator, I may have been mistaken and perhaps one had actually been published in the Plain Dealer.
OHIO ISSUE 6 POLLS:
August 2008
Quinnipiac University 60% in favor 35% against
September 2008
Columbus Dispatch 50% in favor 41% against
September 2008
SurveyUSA 62% in favor 31% against
Found it Dave:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/sep/27/as...
There is alot of misleading info in the pro casino ads. One, they say that our valley can get a casino later on by putting it on the ballot. Not so, this vote is to change the state constitution to allow only those specific cities to get these casinos. For our valley to be allowed to have a casino we would have to ask the whole state to vote to change the constitution again just for us. As for tax dollars, these are out of state interests that will be running these casinos not local, the money will simply move out of state. And heres the real kicker that they dont speak about. You as the gambler will be taxed more than the casino on your winnings then they will be on their profits. And the biggest thing that these casinos will impact will be senior citizens. Now at every town hall meeting these seniors jump up and down yelling how with higher taxes they who are on FIXED INCOMES
Sorry I hit the wrong key before I was done. These seniors with their FIXED INCOMES which by the way we all have. Complain that with higher taxes for schools and such they can barely afford to go to their florida condos more than two three times a year or even gas up their fully loaded crown vics. Give them a local outlet to pump all their disposable income at and we are going to have big problems. VOTE NO
Valleyred,
The link you provided was for the most recent poll taken on THIS YEAR'S gambling initiative.
You had stated there were articles in The Vindicator about polls for the previous gambling initiative that showed it winning.
Again, I haven't found an article about that (and neither have you - though I appreciate the effort). I don't believe we ever published such an article.
That one went right over my head, I can't believe I posted that... whoops. Again I read a lot of the Plain Dealer around Election Time last year, I must have gotten the two mixed up, but that is not the issue.
The issue is the polls showed the measure passing by 20% in 2008 and it lost by 20%.
NO on 3
Just for reference, Betras is right about the residual budgeting, we've seen it happen before, but mr.skolnick, would you please look into and exploit the truth of if this will make illegal 501c(3) type charity gambling. this will ruin church bingo's and such. I believe the issue will, but am not 100% certain.
Well I look at it this way, this area will never have a Casino. Pit has a new one, WVA is close. All the other ohio cities are at least stable or growing or was until 08. Vote as you feel you must but this ship has sailed once again. So either support it and hope the area gets paid. Or vote no.
Remember nothing is coming this way big enough to change things in a hurry. It is simple economics and population. If anyone is upset that Y-Town is not in the mix for a casino. Then they should have been on the Band wagon years ago pushing for one.
The valley will vote no,not because of betras but because it is not getting a casino(which COULD mean jobs),as far as betras and his PASSION, it is ONLY to get his face out there.
This confirms a saying in Youngstown I heard from a local when I first moved here. "Youngstown's mentality is this: you have two cows, I wish one dies".
I never bought a lotto ticket in my life, but is it fair to say, I'm not for issue 3 because only four other metro areas get the casinos and we don't? It boggles my mind that an advertiser would use this backwards mentality on us and possibly win. O' Youngstown, will we ever change?
Why would a business of any kind want to move to Youngstown? Let's see what we have to offer?
1. No Local Leadership
2. 2nd highest tax rate in the state
3. Worst school district in the state
4. Highest crime rate in the state
Gee, I'd sure want to move here, wouldn't you?
Sky king here is a novel idea if you dislike it so much leave! We have outstanding local leaders lead by Tim Ryan and Jay Williams. We have by far the best cadre of leaders I have seen in a long time.
I agree with you the school district is a problem but the community needs to get more involved to fix this problem and somone needs to be held accountable for the problems with the schools.
We do not have the "highest" crime rate in the state as a region.
The most pressing problem is the school system. I suggest you examine the persons running for school board and see their ideas to fix it.
I hate taxes as much as you do and i also agree taxes are too high.
And for gosh sakes be more positive about our area it is a great place to live and raise a family.
I really hope that was not really Dave Betras in that last post. If it was, I really am amazed and offended at this. I am a Democrat for almost all cases and have often donated money to the party and its candidates. Then our so called leader tells someone that is displeased with the state of the area to get out if he is not satisfied! Then you go on to agree with every point he makes. That is a real unique attitude you have there, your true calling may be politics. I think we can all agree that the area is in a bad way and is not making very many major advancements to change this. Being "positive" about these things that we are dissatisfied with will not fix a single thing. Not really proud to see you a a leader if that is the rhetoric that you see as appropriate in a public forum. For the record I am voting yes on issue 3, just because we can only see a benefit from it with non of the risk to our area directly. In either case, Mr Betras I don't wish for you to move because you don't agree with me.
If that was not the actual Mr. Betras, my apologies
VOTE NO ON 3!!!
http://www.rateitall.com/i-2683277-david...
Modifying the state constitution in this manner to allow casinos to be built is equivalent to writing an application program inside a computer's operating system.
Put forth a constitutional amendment that states ".....every county shall decide by popular vote whether or not gambling is to be allowed within the said county....."
I don't even want to hear it that if all 88 counties built a casino.......blah, blah, blah.........," because they WON'T!
If a 300,000 square foot casino would not be economically feasible due to market size in a given area, then build a smaller i.e. 20,000 square foot casino(s). The best solution would be to have 2 or 3 casinos in each market area so they can COMPETE against each other. Competition will lead to efficiency. The county-by-county approach is most equitable, and the religious freak counties can still vote no.
People don't dislike Youngstown,they just dislike people like you and that phony timmy ryan! He has not signed on to a petition that would allow us "JOE -BAG -A - DONUTS" (that expression you have used so often) to see the bill on obamacare 72 hours prior to a vote,so much about "Democrats concern about US".
If we can't have a casino, nobody should have one.
Where is our stimulus money, we need it now!
Why aren't our leaders getting us more grant money?
When are the steel mills coming back, it's been over thirty years? Let's get more land and clean it up so more factories may come here.
And those landlords, they are to blame for all the demo houses in town.
Not to mention the city convenience stores, they sell booze which causes anarchy, shut them down.