FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TIPP CITY, OHIO October 15th, 2009 — The installation of slot machines at Ohio racetracks is a fatally flawed proposal. Rev. Rebecca Tollefson of The Ohio Council of Churches and Bishop Bruce R. Ough of the United Methodist Church, request that Ohio Governor Ted Strickland withdraw his executive orders directing the Ohio Lottery Commission to install slot machines at seven Ohio racetracks.
WHO: Rev. Rebecca Tollefson, Executive Director, Ohio Council of Churches
Bruce R. Ough, Resident Bishop, Ohio West Area, The United Methodist
Church
WHAT: Press Conference on Video Slot Machines at Racetracks and Issue #3
WHERE: Ohio Statehouse, Ladies Gallery, 1st floor meeting room
WHEN: Thursday, October 1st, 2009, 11:00 a.m.
Immediately withdrawing the video slot machine proposal will avoid the squandering of precious time while this matter lingers in the courts. By rescinding the executive orders now, Governor Strickland will open the way for the Ohio General Assembly to return to the essential task of appropriating adequate and sustainable funding for Ohio’s essential services.
Issue 3
This is the fifth time in 19 years that the Ohio Council of Churches and the United Methodist Church will work together to successfully mobilize tens of thousands of voters from many faith communities to vote against casino gambling in Ohio. Bishop Ough and Rev. Tollefson call upon all faith communities to work together to defeat Issue 3 and thereby keep casinos out of the state of Ohio. The news conference will delineate the primary actions underway to ensure that casino gambling is once again stopped at the ballot box.
The West Ohio Conference is the ministry office for nearly 250,000 Ohio United Methodist members, and 1200 United Methodist churches, community centers, camps, and affiliate organizations in 58 Ohio counties. The Ohio Council of Churches (OCC) is a partnership of 27 Christian faith bodies working together in service to God. Its seventeen denominations encompass some 6,000 congregations and more than 3,000,000 members.
CONTACT: Lisa Streight
32 Wesley Blvd., Worthington, Ohio 43085-3585
(614) 844-6200 • Fax (614) 781-2642 • (800) 438-0028
www.westohioumc.org
Email: lstreight@wocumc.org
