Penn National Gaming and Rock Ventures LLC wants Ohio voters to do away with the state constitution and give them a monopoly on casino gambling in Ohio for a criminally low price.Only a year ago, Penn National was one of the biggest opponents of casinos being built in Ohio, yet this year they are doing everything in their power to convince voters that it is what’s best for the state. This is because a year ago a different company would have been given the monopoly, and Penn was worried that their competition would take away from their Indiana casino. Now Penn National wants to portray itself as caring and in favor of job creation, yet in 2008 they held a totally different position.
The monopoly that Penn is hoping to obtain is totally unconstitutional. If voters really want gambling in Ohio, they should reject the rigged form that is being proposed with Issue 3. Competition is what truly benefits the economy, and that is not what is being presented on this ballot.
Finally, Penn National would not pay nearly enough to obtain a casino license. The state would grant them a license for only $50 million, not even close to as much as what is being paid for the same thing in different states. In Illinois, for example, the same exact license costs $400 million.
Not only is this the case, but Penn National would not be employing as many Ohioans as it claims. Many of the new jobs would be taken by employees of Penn from Michigan, Indiana, and other states where Penn is allowed to conduct business. The claim that the casinos would create 34,000 new jobs for Ohioans is overblown and simply not true.
In a nutshell, the way the gambling issue appears on the Ohio ballot is not what is best for the state or its citizens. Why would Ohioans support a corrupt, greedy enterprise like Penn National Gaming and Rock Ventures, which denounces competition and open business? The state constitution must be maintained, and that can only happen with a rejection of Issue 3.
Sources:
www.forbes.com
www.truthpac.org