Alternate amendment would allow 15 casinos across Ohio

By Marc Kovac

A legislator introduced another piece of legislation to legalize gambling.

COLUMBUS — Voters in Ohio counties or cities would decide whether to allow casinos in their communities, under a constitutional amendment proposed by one state lawmaker.

Rep. Dennis Murray, a Democrat from Sandusky, said he introduced House Joint Resolution 4 to further the debate on expanded gambling in Ohio and to question whether state Issue 3 is the right plan for the state. The latter, to be decided by voters next month, would allow casinos at four specific sites in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

Murray’s amendment would allow up to 15 casinos in the state, with locations determined by county populations, according to documents.

If approved by local voters, the casinos would pay taxes of 50 percent of their gross revenues, with 45 percent of the proceeds going to the state’s general fund, 20 percent to Ohio counties and 20 percent to school districts. The remainder would be distributed to the communities where the casinos are located, a state casino control commission, horse-racing tracks, law enforcement and gambling-addiction services, according to documents.

Locations also would have to pay licensing fees plus commit to investing $25 million up front in their casinos, according to documents. Gambling would be restricted to patrons age 21 and older.

“I felt it was important to put another alternative in the mix and start a discussion about what a better gambling amendment might look like,” Murray said, adding, “I think there’s support for having a broader discussion. ... I think a lot of people recognize the flaws with Issue 3 and they’re trying [to determine] how to respond to it.”

HJR 4 would have to be approved by both the Democrat-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate in order to appear before voters in November 2010.

mkovac@dixcom.com