U.S. Sen. George Voinovich thinks he can keep casino gambling out of Ohio
one way or the other. He’s not up for re-election this year, but he’s
traveling the state spearheading the Vote No Casinos effort that is opposing
a ballot initiative to bring slot machines to Ohio’s seven race tracks and
two sites in Cleveland. That initiative, called “Learn and Earn” by its
supporters, is State Issue 3 on the Nov. 7 ballot. Back in Washington, Sen.
Voinovich he is working on a bill with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to make it
harder for Indian tribes to open casinos when state leaders oppose them. The
goal is to ensure that federally protected tribal gambling can’t enter Ohio
should Issue 3 fail, as Sen. Voinovich hopes it will. Sen. Voinovich long
has been an opponent of gambling, dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, when
he was mayor of Cleveland and the state’s governor. But he especially
opposes the current issue. “This is an enormous windfall for Tower City
Center and Jeff Jacobs,” he said, complaining that Issue 3 would specify
exactly which developers will own and operate the two free-standing casinos
that could be built in Cleveland. “If we’re going, from a public policy
standpoint, to raise money through casino gambling, this is not the way to
do it.”

Sen. Voinovich told Crain’s editorial staffers at a Tuesday meeting that his
opposition to state-sponsored gambling stretches back to a distaste for the
Ohio Lottery. He called slot machines “the crack cocaine of gambling,” and
said gambling most hurts the people who cannot afford the money they lose.

Sen. Voinovich said he fears that should gambling come to the state, payday
loan businesses will blossom and mortgage foreclosures will rise.