In a statement, Plusquellic said: "I support Issue 3 for Ohio. Simply put, Issue 3 is about the economy and jobs.

"Gaming taxes will generate millions of dollars for Akron, Summit County and our school districts. This, and the thousands of construction and casino jobs from Issue 3, would be a tremendous benefit for Akron and Northeast Ohio."

Plusquellic joins Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, plus many suburban mayors throughout the state, in endorsing Issue 3. Passage of Issue 3 will create 34,000 new Ohio jobs, bring a minimum of $1 billion in new private investment to the state's four largest cities, and generate $651 million in new tax revenues, the vast majority of tax revenue going to Ohio's 88 counties, it's eight largest cities and every school district in the state.

Issue 3 would authorize casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo, and would keep $1 billion in Ohio dollars in Ohio every year "“ money that is now spent by Ohioans traveling to casinos in neighboring states.

Earlier this week, the NAACP chapters in Columbus and Cleveland joined the Cincinnati NAACP chapter in announcing their support. Also announcing support this week was the Ohio Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, representing 5,000 Hispanic-owned businesses throughout the state.

Issue 3 has also been endorsed by (partial list):

Cleveland City Council
Cuyahoga County Commissioners Peter Lawson Jones and Tim Hagan;
The Hamilton, Butler and Clermont County Commissioners
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Cleveland Partnership;
Positively Cleveland!;
The Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association;
The Toledo Police Patrolmen's Association
The Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association;
The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio;
Ohio AFL-CIO;
United Auto Workers (UAW) of Ohio
Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council; The Cleveland and Toledo convention and visitors' bureaus;The Firefighters' local unions in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo;  
The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus
The NAACP branches in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.

A complete list of supporters of State Issue 3 can be found at:

http://www.yesonissue3.com/Backers/

The Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that authorizes one first-class casino in each of the state's four largest cities (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo). The plan will generate $11 billion in economic impact during construction and the first five years of casino operations. It will create 34,000 new jobs for Ohioans, and will provide an estimated $651 million in tax revenues each year, with the vast majority of the money designated for all of the state's counties, its major cities and every public school district in the state. Annual tax revenues are projected to increase to $772 million by 2017.

Primary backers of the proposal are:

Penn National Gaming, Inc., a prominent operator of gaming facilities and horse racing tracks, including Raceway Park in Toledo; and
Dan Gilbert, through his Rock Ventures partnership. Gilbert is majority owner of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers and operator of Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Lake Erie Monsters, Veritix and Fathead, as well as Chairman and Founder of Quicken Loans, which operates a 350-person Internet web center in downtown Cleveland. Gilbert, who began investing in Ohio in 2005, employs more than 2,500 people throughout the state.

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Comments
posted at 10/19/2009 5:13:52 PM (17014)
 misstia said:

well gee, i agree with don about this!!

posted at 10/19/2009 5:19:13 PM (17016)
APD Retired Detective said:

Of course he likes the idea.....they serve alcohol there!

Where's the story about his quasi-DUI Saturday night? I understand he's issued a statement saying it was a conspiracy from a political opponent. I heard a career-driven APD Lt. cut him a break.....we'll see!!!!!

posted at 10/19/2009 10:22:54 PM (17038)
tiberious said:

personally i think i want to know more on how this helps donnie boy. he never does anything right, unless someone he is tied to is given him a kick back.

posted at 10/19/2009 10:28:56 PM (17040)
 misstia said:

conspiracy from a political opponent?! well, it wouldn't be jeff fusco....

posted at 10/20/2009 9:27:50 AM (17068)
sts46 said:

I going to say now that we are going to regret these casinos.

posted at 10/20/2009 10:16:24 AM (17075)
 Wayne In Akron said:

I wonder why the Mayor's statment of support of Issue 3 isn't part of a press release on the City's website.

posted at 10/20/2009 12:27:04 PM (17089)
LA-Man said:

I received a mailing telling me to support Issue 3, but I couldn't find anywhere where it stated what Issue 3 is. If they are so proud of it - why not mention it? I am against it because it will bring the associated woes with it. Bankruptcy, addiction, prostitution etc... Are there no moral ways to make money?

posted at 10/20/2009 1:41:27 PM (17093)
 missfit said:

I have weighed many of those scenerios as well LA-MAN.
I am going to vote yes for #3 though. I live in Akron
so how much worse can it get here? The casinos will bring revenue that the state needs greatly.

posted at 10/20/2009 2:16:54 PM (17095)
akroncitizen said:

Issue 3 is horrid at best. It is a legalized monopoly for a few rich people to build casinos on land they already own, and no place else. There is no guarantee on job creation for ohioans. Misstia, you question everything else to death, but jump right on this bandwagon???????

I agree with sts46, we WILL regret this should it pass.

posted at 10/20/2009 5:06:02 PM (17103)
 Wayne In Akron said:

@STS46 and AkronCitizen...

What is the worst thing that could happen?

The casinos go over well, tax revenue comes to Ohio's coffers instead of those in PA, MI, WV, and IN?

Casinos fail and the investors take the hit. Ohio still gets the one time payment as directed in the amendment and lots of construction workers get a job to build these 4 facilities?

Either scenario is better than the current situation at hand.

posted at 10/20/2009 10:44:03 PM (17118)
 misstia said:

i'm not one to jump on a bandwagon (unless it's a good band! hahaha!)...no seriously....i don't have a problem with casinos in ohio....i know it has been defeated before, and i am sure this will be defeated too, but i don't have a problem with it....

posted at 10/21/2009 8:37:03 AM (17131)
 historybuff said:

Don and I on the same side, again! Wow!

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