COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Two leaders of the United Methodist Church in Ohio say they’re disappointed that Gov. Ted Strickland supports a plan to put video slot machines at Ohio’s seven racetracks.

Bishop Bruce Ough (oh) of the church’s West Ohio Conference and Bishop John Hopkins of the East Ohio Conference said Monday that expanded gambling exploits individuals and is based on a false hope that a quick fix to the state’s budget gap is possible.

In this Jan. 28, 2009 file photo, Gov. Ted Strickland delivers his third state of the state address in Columbus, Ohio. An overhaul of Strickland's school-funding proposal and roughly $1 billion in cuts to the House budget proposal that was released Friday, May 29, 2009, by the Republican-controlled SenateAPIn this Jan. 28, 2009 file photo, Gov. Ted Strickland delivers his third state of the state address in Columbus, Ohio. An overhaul of Strickland’s school-funding proposal and roughly $1 billion in cuts to the House budget proposal that was released Friday, May 29, 2009, by the Republican-controlled Senate”
Ough says he and Hopkins have met frequently with Strickland, who is an ordained Methodist minister but not active in ministry.

Announcing his racetrack slots proposal on Friday, Strickland said he had made a difficult but necessary choice to help balance the state budget.