Would Ohio Churches Pay Taxes to forestall Expanded Gambling?

Ohio residents speak out against church groups that cynically are trying a lawsuit to dam a gambling proposal to bring slots to race tracks in an effort to fund the state budget.

Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio issued an executive order allowing the position of video lottery terminals, a kind of slot machine, at state race tracks to assist solve the state budget shortfall. But church groups inside the state are promising to sue to forestall new gambling within the state, despite the urgent need for the estimated $933 million the gaming plan would yield over the following two years.

Yesterday, the Ohio Council of Churches and the United Methodist Church released a press release saying the organizations were preparing a legal challenge to the governor's gambling proposal. The groups assert the amendment within the state constitution establishing the lottery doesn't allow slot gaming, nor does it permit the cash to be spent instead of on education.

Many Ohio residents are upset with the interference by the religious representatives. A Quinnipiac University poll shows that Ohio citizens favor instituting the slot plan by greater than a two-to-one margin.

"Maybe the churches involved want to volunteer to pay taxes just like the remainder of us," said a Youngstown resident. "IN THE EVENT THAT THEY did not have exemptions from taxation, both Ohio and the united states would probably have enough more money they may be pickier about easy methods to raise revenue."

Other Ohio residents questioned at the streets felt similarly. One commented at the situation saying the religious institutions "should pay their share before telling the remainder of us what to do."

Columbus native Chris Cameron said, "Whatever happened to the vow of poverty? Giant, gleaming churches get built, preachers have Cadillacs and massive homes, and the gathering plates keep sucking the poor parishioners dry. How is gambling more predatory than that?"

Spokesmen for the governor said they do not feel the churches have a legitimate legal argument. Legislators made certain to place language within the final budget acknowledging the authority of the lottery to function the track slots.

Published on July 16, 2009 by MattMiller

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