Law & Courts

Ohio Slots Ruling Casts Pall Over K-12 Funding

By Michele McNeil — September 22, 2009 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Ohio officials are weighing their next move after the Ohio Supreme Court dealt a huge blow to Gov. Ted Strickland, the legislature, and public school advocates by ruling that the legalization of slot-like machines at horse-racing tracks is subject to a statewide referendum.

The ruling yesterday zapped—at least temporarily—about $850 million from the state’s fiscal 2010-2011 two-year budget, money that was to pay for K-12 education.

When the legislature approved the state budget in July, it plugged a deficit by cutting $2 billion from its spending plan and by adding projected revenue from new video-lottery terminals, similar to slot machines, that were set to appear later this year at the state’s seven horse-racing tracks.

But state residents, who organized under LetOhioVote.org, filed a petition with the secretary of state’s office asking that the issue be put to voters in a statewide vote. After the secretary of state rejected the petition, the group took the case to the state Supreme Court.

Now left with a potential budget gap, Ohio policymakers are in a pickle.

Gov. Strickland, a Democrat, said his office needs to review the ruling before determining his next steps.

“We decided to pursue legislative authorization of video-lottery terminals to help fill a state budget gap caused by the national recession without increasing taxes on working people or businesses during these economically challenging times,” he said in a statement.

The ruling comes at a particularly bad time for the governor, who is trying to overhaul the state’s school funding system based on a formula that officials say directs money to where it’s needed most.

At issue in the court case was whether the legalization of video-lottery terminals fit into a narrow exception in the law for referenda—an exception that allows the legislature to pass laws related to appropriating state funds without facing a potential voter veto through a statewide ballot.

The 6-1 ruling, which declared the video-lottery terminals are subject to the referendum process, made clear that the majority of justices knew how much money was at stake.

“We are not unmindful of the effect our decision may have on the state budget,” Justice Terrence O’Donnell wrote for the majority. However, he said, “our own constitutional duty is to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Ohio Constitution irrespective of their effect on the state’s current financial conditions.”

Justice Paul E. Pfeifer, the lone dissenter, disagreed. The video-lottery terminals are “no mere legislative add-on, snuck into a mammoth bill,” he said. “Instead, the legislation is at the very heart of the budget bill, at the very heart of how Ohio is going to pay for its spending over the next two years.”

Meanwhile, LetOhioVote.org said it has resubmitted its petition, with more than 3,000 signatures, to the secretary of state’s office to place the issue on the November 2010 ballot.

Related Tags:

Events

School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Law & Courts Legal Fights Highlight Clashes Over Transgender Students’ Pronouns in Schools
A federal court weighs the case of a teacher who refused to use students' chosen names and pronouns, as similar questions arise elsewhere.
9 min read
John Kluge, a former Indiana teacher, pictured in an undated photo.
John M. Kluge is an Indiana teacher who was dismissed for refusing to use transgender students' chosen names and pronouns.
Courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom
Law & Courts Can Parents Opt Kids Out of Reading LGBTQ+ Books? The Supreme Court Will Decide
The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a school district's policy of refusing to let parents opt out their children from LGBTQ+ storybooks.
3 min read
The Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon, April 19, 2023, in Washington.
A view of the Supreme Court in the afternoon on April 19, 2023, in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Law & Courts How Educators Feel About the Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold TikTok Ban
The Supreme Court upheld a law targeting TikTok, increasing the uncertainty for an app highly popular among U.S. educators and students.
6 min read
Sarah Baus, left, of Charleston, S.C., and Tiffany Cianci, who says she is a "long-form educational content creator," livestream to TikTok outside the Supreme Court, on Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington.
Sarah Baus, left, of Charleston, S.C., and Tiffany Cianci, who says she is a "long-form educational content creator," livestream to TikTok outside the Supreme Court, on Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Law & Courts After 50 Years, This School District Is No Longer Segregated, Court Says
A federal appeals court panel declared that the Tucson, Ariz., district was now legally desegregated a half century after it was first sued.
3 min read
Scales of justice and Gavel on wooden table and Lawyer or Judge working with agreement in Courtroom, Justice and Law concept.
Pattanaphong Khuankaew/iStock