'Dispatch' ignores support for gambling
Thursday, October 1, 2009 3:33 AM
Among central Ohio residents, supporters of legalized casino
gambling, such as at racetracks, outnumbered opponents by 48 percent
to 46 percent, with 6 percent undecided, the Quinnipiac University
poll reported on Sept. 15.
Also among central Ohio residents, supporters of putting casinos in
Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo led opponents 54 percent
to 43 percent, with 3 percent undecided in the same poll.
The Dispatch did not report this data about central Ohio in its
Sept. 16 article "Voters backing casino question."
With this latest information in mind from a reliable polling
organization, I am perplexed by The Dispatch's continued one-sided
negative coverage of the casino and racetrack gambling issues in
Ohio. The biased, negative commentary by The Dispatch editor,
political columnist and editorial writers is distressing, as well.
I am further perplexed by The Dispatch's crusade for higher taxes on
Ohioans.
If The Dispatch feels so strongly about raising taxes, it should
have its employees passing petitions to call for a statewide vote
for higher taxes, and it should be demanding that every candidate
for governor and the state legislature take a pledge to vote for
higher taxes in return for an editorial-page endorsement. Instead,
the editor, political columnist and editorial writers take regular
cheap shots at the governor and the legislature.
By opposing racetrack and casino gambling and supporting higher
state taxes, The Dispatch appears to be out of step with central Ohio.
JOHN K. HARTMAN
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