Ohio governor wants to add slots

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As reported by the Cleveland Plain-Dealer: "Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to balance the budget with gambling money includes legalizing up to 15,250 slot machines at Ohio's seven horse racetracks, with most of the games plugged in by next May.

"The governor's office estimates the machines will rake in nearly $1 billion in 14 months -- from May 2010 to the end of the 2011 fiscal year.

"The plan would allow the state to collect 48 percent of that revenue for education spending while the other 52 percent would be split among the seven track owners and pay administrative and operational expenses, including payouts to lucky winners.

"The state would also collect a one-time licensing fee from each owner, somewhere in the neighborhood of $65 million for each location depending on how many machines are at each track..."