What if all gamblers stayed home? Does Ohio truly benefit?

What if casino backers could magically force all Ohio gamblers to stay home and only gamble here in Ohio. What if the one billion dollars leaving Ohio every year could only be gambled in state?  What if the MyOhioNow proposal for one super-casino in Ohio were to become law?

If this single casino captured $1billion gambling dollars per year, if every Ohio gambler leaving the state actually stayed home and only gambled in Chester Township in Clinton County, the total available tax revenue would only be $300 million dollars. Clinton County would get $30 million dollars. The other 87 Ohio counties would divide up the remaining $270 million dollars.  Big population counties would get more, smaller counties much less.

The My Ohio Now amendment gives nothing to the state of Ohio General Revenue Fund. No money for the state to spend for schools, seniors, highways, not one penny. The 30% tax assessed to gross casino receipts goes first to the host county (10%) and the rest is divided up among the other 87 Ohio counties.

For example, the budget of Cuyahoga County alone is $1.48 billion dollars for fiscal 2007. The promised casino revenue by MyOhioNow is less than 2% of the total county budget. The fractional dollars being distributed to the counties are sent without any form of accountability. Politicians at the local level can do good things with the few dollars casino dollars they get or choose otherwise. The State Legislature and local voters have given no authority to direct the casino tax dollars sent to the counties.