Writes Like She Talks: Reason #44 to VOTE NO on Issue 3

Monday, September 25, 2006

Because the numbers don't add up to anything positive for anyone but the operators.

I challenge gambling proponents to run numbers like those in this chart for Ohio.

Previous reasons to VOTE NO on Issue 3:

Reason 45
Reason 46
Reason 47
Reason 48
Reason 49
Reason 50
Reason 51
Reason 52
Reason 53
Reason 54
Reason 55
Reason 56
Reason 57

Vote No on Issue 3.

2 Comments:

BizzyBlog said...: Jill,

You are doing an absolutely fabulous job on this, and starting tomorrow morning, I'm going to be linking to your Reasons every few days so that my readers can see why OL&E should go down in flames.

The post, which goes up at about 8:15 AM, is here:
Writes Like She Talks’ Campaign against Ohio Learn & Earn: An Indispensable Reference

As to this Reason, here's what so good about having the numbers -- You can show that OL&E if applied to Missouri would STILL be a loser. Even if the state gets every dollar after the casinos take their promised 55% (leaving the state 45%, divided 30% to scholarships and 15% to other things), the net societal cost is still huge:

Amount Lost: $1212 mil
Revenue to state (45%) $545 mil

All else is the same until you get to the bottom:

Addiction cost $815 mil
Revenue to state $545 mil
Loss to society $270 mil

I think Ohio has about twice as many adults, so you would just double everything and see that Ohio's societal loss would be about $540 mil per year.

There's something really offensive about funding college scholarships on the backs of addicted gamblers.

Anyway, keep it going. If you need a (very) occasional guest Reasoner, let me know.; 9/26/2006 12:53 AM
Jill said...: Tom - I might take you up on that final offer - specifically for this coming Monday, Yom Kippur. I really need to not post on that day. Let me know!

Thanks for the nice words. I sincerely appreciate it - the fact is, given the volatile partisan atmosphere in the sphere right now, you open yourself up to mockery for even commenting here or posting about my little crusade on your own blog. But agreement is agreement and it's nice that some of us can acknowledge that.

Have a great week - feel free to email me about posting on Monday - we'll figure it out.

Oh - and thanks for doing the MO to Ohio numbers. Amazing, huh?; 9/26/2006 10:01 AM