Thursday, November 09, 2006

For the third time in 16 years, Ohioans soundly rejected the expansion of
gambling in Ohio, this time routing a racetrack-backed proposal to put slot
machines at the tracks. Voters also approved a ban on smoking in most public
buildings and rejected a tobacco-backed ban that would have exempted bars,
enclosed parts of restaurants and certain sporting venues. An increase in
the state's minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.85 passed. Issue 3, the
slots issue, was behind 1,611,700, or 58.30 percent, to 1,167,654, or 41.70
percent, with 98.21 percent of precincts reporting. Sen. George Voinovich,
who successfully fought casino ballot issues in 1990 and 1996, said Ohioans
realized that the slots backers who were selling the issue as a scholarship
program would be its prime beneficiaries.
"The people of Ohio saw through the sham and were not fooled," Voinovich
said. The successful Issue 5 bans smoking in all buildings outside the home,
except for tobacco shops, designated hotel rooms and enclosed areas in
nursing homes. Issue 4 would have exempted bars, race tracks, bowling alleys
and bingo halls from a ban. It was opposed by 64.28 percent and supported by
35.72 percent. Issue 2, one of six minimum wage issues around the country,
was supported 56.17 percent to 43.83 percent. "Issue 4 was an attempt to
protect big tobacco's bottom line," said Tracy Sabetta, co-chair of
SmokeFreeOhio, the American Cancer Society-backed group that promoted Issue
5. "We know we will see an improvement in the health of bartenders and
others in the hospitality industry." Smoke Less Ohio, the group largely
financed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and some restaurant and bar owners,
said it accepted the vote. "The voters had an opportunity, through
comprehensive campaigns on both sides of the issue, to educate themselves,
form an opinion and then vote. That is the purpose of allowing initiatives
and we respect that process and the outcome," spokesman Jacob Evans said.
The gambling proposal, state Issue 3, would have allowed up to 31,000 slot
machines at Ohio's seven horse-racing tracks and two free-standing parlors
in downtown Cleveland. A portion of the revenue would go to eligible public
school students attending in-state colleges and universities. It was the
third proposal since 1990 to expand gambling in Ohio, where only the lottery
and games for charity such as bingo are state-sanctioned.

State Issue 5 would ban smoking in most public buildings, while Issue 4
would exempt places including bars, bowling alleys, bingo halls and
racetracks.

Except Issue 5, the proposals would amend the Ohio Constitution. If voters
pass both smoking issues, the less restrictive one would prevail because it
would be an amendment instead of a change in state law. Issue 4 also would
eliminate 21 local smoking bans.

The racetrack owners and developers who would claim 55 percent of the slots
revenues raised at least $13 million in the campaign and promoted the 30
percent that would be committed to college scholarships.

Opponents said the ad campaign inflated the amount going to scholarships and
that passage would harm families of people who become gambling addicts.

Voters in 1990 and 1996 overwhelmingly defeated issues that would have
allowed casinos.

The competing smoking issues pitted health groups such as the American
Cancer Society against tobacco companies and bar and restaurant owners.

Backers of the minimum wage amendment, including labor unions and advocates
for low-income people, said the wage at $5.15 was too low. Opponents _
business groups and low-wage employers _ said an increase would hurt small
businesses and drive many retailers from Ohio.

Backers trying to get a proposed issue to change workers' compensation law
certified for the ballot ran out of time, so votes cast for Issue 1 were not
being counted