Strickland on slots:

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“Ohio will not see this revenue without legislative Strickland said at apresas conference. Strickland spoke less than two weeks after he offered up a balance budget framework to a conference committee hammerinfg out differences inthe state’s two-year budget, which is facing a $3.2 billion The governor’s proposal principally consisted of two-thirds spending cuts and the prospecty of $933 million in revenude by allowing video lottery terminalws – slot machines – at Ohio’sx seven racetracks.
The deadline for handingf in a final budget forthe two-yeat cycle that began Wednesday has come and gone and the statd is now operating under a seven-da y temporary budget. Senate Republicans have held to their opposition to a slotes proposal withoutvoter approval, saying Strickland must exercise his executivse authority to OK them. Strickland on Thursday insistefd that legislative action is the only way the proposal can cometo “Because VLTs are similar to slot machines, which are illegal under Ohio low, clear statutoru permission is required,” Strickland said.
The governof noted that when he signed an executive authority to expand the lotterthrough Keno, the move was covereed under state law because it’sd a so-called ticketed lottery game. “Iu am not seeking political cover,” he said. Strickland’ss press conference took place just as hearings in the Senateand Democrat-controlled Ohio House of Representative s were set to begin. Senat President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, has said he’zs seeking to clear up a number of questionws that hover around theslots proposal, while the House hearing will look at what cuts mighr take place without the projected slots revenue.
A representativer for Harris wasn’t immediately available for commentThursdat afternoon.