It didn’t take long for legislature to begin discussing the state’s dismal financial situation as the 125th General Assembly opened last Monday.

Revenue for the first six months of the budget fell below expectations, and the big boys are scrambling for ways to compensate before the new budget kicks in on July 1. The lawmakers seem to think they will have everything under control by passing a few budget correction bills, increasing a few taxes and making spending cuts across the state.

Those are great ideas. Why don’t we take money from state-funded agencies, cut school funding and tax people more because the fat cats at the Statehouse made a few mistakes?

Ohio has been blind for too long, and it’s time for the state and all of its problems — I mean, lawmakers — to open their eyes.

Gambling is the answer.

Roll the dice, deal the cards, pull the handle and spin the wheel because casino gambling is a money maker.

In 2002, Wisconsin’s 11 casinos generated $960 million in net revenues.

If Ohio had the same type of success, and the state took a meager 2.5 percent of the action, that would be $25 million in the bank.

But it seems Ohioans don’t want a slice of that pie.

Some lawmakers are concerned casino gambling will negatively affect the Ohio Lottery, yet at the same time, they go behind that train of thought and hypothesize running casinos through the Ohio Lottery.

Another worry of the state is the social problem casinos may cause. Well, in case the public wasn’t aware, they’ve got meetings for those types of things in just about every suburban community in the state.

In 1802, the Ohio Constitution was ratified to prohibit gambling in the state. It was ratified again in 1975 to permit the Ohio Lottery. And don’t we also have a few race tracks around the state?

So, why no casinos? What is the state afraid of? That the Corleone family will come back to power and take an interest in Ohio’s gambling circuit? That the Sopranos might try to fix Keno?

Nationwide, the casino industry generates $40 billion a year, and since 1990 casinos have become legal in 24 states, up from two.

Casino gambling is the best available option to help Ohio’s struggling economy. Aside from the fact that casinos would provide a few thousand jobs to people who may be unemployed and drawing money from the state’s unemployment fund, the newly-employed Ohioans will have more money to pump back into the economy. All the while, the state would make a few more cents each time someone busts at the blackjack table.

Casinos could also help the state’s tourism industry.

Let’s face it, Ohio isn’t exactly a name people throw around when planning a vacation. Sure, you may have the occasional family pack up to visit an Amish farm here and there, but those trips tend to end rather early. But combine a day at the casino while visiting Lake Erie in the summer, throw in an Indians game and a visit to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and you’ve got a pretty full weekend.

The only noticeable difference Ohio would see if the state started sprouting casinos, (aside from having a better economy, money for the state, and improved tourism) is that Ohio would be a much more entertaining place.

People would stop going to Detroit, Indiana, Las Vegas and even Canada and start going to Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati.

Unfortunately, until our lawmakers wise up, casinos in Ohio are just wishful thinking.

At least until legislators get the courage to take a chance on success.

Erik Bussa is a senior in agricultural communications. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].