<rant>
I hate state ballot measures.
I hate them.
A few years ago, we here in Ohio decided that our state constitution was a great place to put language forbidding the extension of legal protections afforded married couples to unmarried couples. Now we can’t effectively enforce domestic violence complaints when the couple aren’t legally married.
This year, we have a lovely host of wonderful new ballot measures which are sure to pass.
First, there’s a minimum wage hike, which would not only raise it, but tie it to the CPI. Ohio is the third highest taxed state in the country, and we’ve been losing jobs like mad for it - this is a major issue the gubernatorial race, if you can dig through all the mud they’ve been slinging. And now they want to raise the minimum wage? That’s just going to drive more jobs out. They want to raise it initially to $6.85, $1.70 over the national minimum. That’s a big incentive for low-skill jobs to move out of state. And besides, the CPI linking will be a paperwork nightmare. Employers will be required to keep wage history for all their employees on file for 3 years. And in true Ohioan fashion, we want to write this nonesense into our Constitution. It only needs a majority vote, too. Whose bad idea was that?
Next there is the slot machine act. It would make slot machines legal at Ohio’s 8 racetracks. Now, I think if a company wants to put up a slot machine and make money off it, that’s their prerogative. Slot machines can be fun, and if I want to spend my money that way, I should be allowed. Currently, in Ohio, slot machines are illegal. That’s just wrong. So why am I going to vote this one down? Because 1) it imposes a 45% tax on slot machine proceeds and 2) gives that money to public universities. And I’m going to a public school on scholarship. Nothing like an election to make you feel dirty. How would you vote?
Finally, we have two more measures, which are altogether too closely related. One’s a proposed statute, the other an amendment. They’re characterized as opposites - you’re supposed to vote no on this one and yes on that one, or vice versa. The law is a public smoking ban, in every place where people are employed. No exceptions. The amendment is a public smoking ban, except for a short list of special cases - restaurants with enclosed smoking areas (full walls and closed doors), some bars, certain places where minors are excluded. The tobacco industry supports the amendment. Idiots. At least here I’m not conflicted - I can vote no on both and feel perfectly happy about it. I just hate how the political machine expects that if I’m voting no on issue 2, I’ll be voting yes on issue 4. The ads all assume that everyone in Ohio wants some sort of statewide smoking ban. No one mentions the lesser issue of “is the Constitution the right place for a smoking ban?”
And don’t get me started on the gubernatorial race. Reminds me of a certain 8th season South Park episode.
<grumble>
-Q