Well, it seems like years and years have passed since voters in Ohio approved the construction of those four casinos in the state and now, with construction only just begun on the Cleveland casino, everything has been halted for who knows how long because of a wild goose chase by Governor John Kasich. The governor has been looking for additional revenue for the crippled state budget and in most of the right places by the way, but he has also targeted a wrong place: the state's four new casinos.
When voters approved the casinos back in 2009, they also approved the financial terms with the state: a one-time fifty million dollar license fee for each casino and a thirty-three per cent tax rate on gaming revenues. The governor thinks the state ought to be getting more and he may be right.
But that shot's been played. The deal was done by the former administration and approved by the voters and this governor is just wrong to peruse a policy that threatens the positive economic effect that the casinos will bring - whenever they get built.
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