Ohio governor says he won't push VLTs through budget

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has announced that he does not plan to push for video lottery terminals at the state's racetracks this year following the Ohio Supreme Court's decision that he could not authorize VLTs at the tracks through the state's budget. However, Strickland said he wants the Ohio Supreme Court to tell him whether adding VLTs is a constitutional expansion of the state's lottery. Previously, Strickland authorized keno games throughout the state by including them under the the lottery division.

 

Earlier this year Strickland embraced VLTs at the racetracks as a means to close a $800-plus million budget deficit. He said at a news conference Wednesday morning that he will delay a tax cut that had been planned rather than raise taxes or cut education to make up for the $800-plus million budget shortfall. According to a report in the Columbus Dispatch, eliminating that income tax cut will offset the amount of money VLTs were supposed to bring in for the state.

 

Strickland also said that he does not plan to put VLTs at the racetracks for the rest of the two-year budget cycle, which ends in mid-2011.