Ohio 2008 General Election Ballot Measures
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| Issue #1 - To Provide for Earlier Filing Deadlines for Statewide Ballot Issues |
Summary: Amendment would
require that a citizen-initiated statewide ballot issue be considered at the
next general election if petitions are filed 125 days before the election;
establishes deadlines for boards of election to determine the validity of
citizen initiated petitions; standardizes the process for legal challenges to
citizen initiated petitions by giving the Ohio Supreme Court jurisdiction to
consider these cases and establishing expedited deadlines for the Court to make
decisions.
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| Issue #2 - To Authorize the State to Issue Bonds to Continue the Clean Ohio Prgoram for Environmental Revilatization and Conservation |
Summary: Amendment would
authorize the state to issue up to $200,000,000 of bonds for conservation and
preservation of natural areas, open spaces and farmlands and other lands
devoted to agriculture; authorize the state to issue bonds up to $200,000,000
for environmental revitalization and re-development of publicly and privately
owned lands, including environmental remediation, assessment or clean up of
contamination or pollution; limit the amount that could be borrowed in any one
fiscal year for conservation or revitalization to no more than $50,000,000 plus
the principal amount of those obligations that in any prior fiscal year could
have been but were not issued.
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| Issue #3 - To Amend the Constitution to Protect Private Property Rights in Ground Water, Lakes and Other Watercourses |
Summary: Amendment would
make explicit that a private property owner has a right to make reasonable use of the ground water that lies
beneath the owner’s land, although this right is subordinate to the public
welfare; make explicit that a private property owner who owns land on the
border of a lake or other watercourse has a right to make reasonable use of the
water in such lake or watercourse located on or flowing through the owner’s
land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare; Not affect the
public’s use of Lake Erie and other navigable waters of the state; and prevent
the rights confirmed under this proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution
from being impaired or limited by the operation of other sections of the Ohio
Constitution.
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full text |
| Issue # 6 - To Amend the Constitution by Initiative Petition for a Casino Near Wilmington
in Southwest Ohio and Distribute to All Ohio Counties a Tax on the Casino |
Summary: Amendment would authorize one privately owned casino with a required minimum initial investment of $600 million in southwest Chester Township. It would require the casino to pay a tax up up to 30 percent on its gross receipts for gaming less payouts. The taxes are to be used first to pay expenses of regulating and collecting taxes from the casino, then for funding of gambling prevention and treatment programs. The taxes paid may be reducted to 25 percent if another casino is permitted in the future. The casino will be authorized to conduct any game permitted in Nevada or any state adjacent to Ohio, except bets on races or sporting events. Only persons age 21 and over would be permitted to place bets.
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THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS 
