Published November 03, 2009 11:43 pm - Ashtabula County voters went the way of voters statewide and supported all three constitutional amendment issues on Tuesday’s ballot.
County voters support veterans, casinos, and livestock board
By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
Ashtabula County voters went the way of voters statewide and supported all three constitutional amendment issues on Tuesday’s ballot.
The most controversial of the trio, Issue 3, is Ohio’s fifth attempt at allowing casinos in the state. In the county, 60.62 percent of voters gave the measure their approval. The issue also passed statewide. The issue would allow one full-service casino to be built in each of the state’s four largest cities: Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati and Columbus. A fixed tax of 33 percent of the casinos’ gross revenues would be levied. Fifty-one percent of those taxes would be distributed among the state’s 88 counties.
Proponents argued that the state is losing an estimated $1.4 billion in casino gambling activity to neighboring states. On the county level, there is concern that the state, which is facing a huge deficit, will use the tax windfall to replace local government funding it provides to counties, leaving revenues flat except in the counties where the casinos are located.
Issue 1, which will authorize the state to sell up to $200 million in bonds to finance one-time bonuses to military veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, passed in both the county and state. The unofficial vote on the issue in Ashtabula County was 19,388 votes for the issue, or 71.48 percent.
Passage of the issue means combat veterans can expect up to $1,000 and noncombat veterans up to $500. Families of service personnel killed in action would receive $5,000 from the state.
On the statewide livestock and poultry regulation issue, an aggressive campaign in rural Ashtabula County paid off with 64.08 percent of the voters approving the measure. The issue seeks to pre-empt animal-rights groups from wresting control of how livestock is raised and treated in the state by handling the issue through the Constitution.
The amendment will create a Livestock Care Standards Board to prescribe standards for animal care and well-being. The board will have 13 members, representing Ohio family farms, farming organizations, food safety experts, veterinarians, consumers, the dean of the agriculture department at an Ohio college or university, and one county humane-society representative.
It authorizes the Ohio department that regulates agriculture to administer and enforce the standards established by the board, subject to the General Assembly’s authority.
The measure, which also received approval at the state level, goes into effect immediately.
SEASONED FIREWOOD FOR SALE Mixed Hardwoods. Cut & split approx 16 $225.00 cord (+) or Slab wood, cut $150.00 cord(+). Delivered within 15 miles of...>MORE
BUYING JUNK VEHICLES WE PAY SCRAP OR BETTER Budget Auto Parts, 6015 Woodman Ave. 992-1111...>MORE
MACHINERY & TOOLS SAFES- Large & small, Forklifts, extra forks, Pallet Jacks, air compressors, (1-20HP), complete torch sets, welding gass...>MORE
Hayward pump (1-1/2 hp) & D.E. Filter for swimming pool, misc. pool access. $300 obo. 576-1585...>MORE
Print this story
Post to del.icio.us
