Cleveland's Casino v. Cleveland Clinic

(CLEVELAND) - A timeout has been called on the construction of casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati, by a group that includes Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.

Construction at Rock Ohio Caesars will remain at a halt until issues are resolved with Gov. John Kasich and House Republicans, the construction remains.

Construction crews will not work for some time over uncertainty surrounding projected taxes and additional fees that the project will be asked to pay.

The group Rock Ohio Caesars was formed by Gilbert's Rock Gaming and Caesars Entertainment Corp.

They planned to build and operate casinos in two cities, with the intention of seriously assisting the state's sagging economy.

Last week the Ohio House budget included an amendment that would require casinos to pay Ohio's commercial-activity tax on money wagered.

This would be paid before winner payouts are subtracted. Casino operators have called it unfair and unconstitutional and they say it will cost them tens of millions of dollars each year.

Cleveland’s Casino v. Cleveland Clinic

Construction of Cleveland’s Casino has come to a halt,
The Governor of Ohio is one hundred percent at fault,
A $150 million licensing fee plus one third is not fine,
And billion dollar Cleveland Clinic pays not one dime.

Non-profit is the word for not giving the city its cash,
Building more than Vegas somewhere there’s a stash,
Over 640 teachers laid off plus fire personnel & cops,
Caesars! Much needed revenue but Kasich says stop?

This idiot wants more from where there was none,
Casino construction has ceased, workers are done,
Did not Ohio voters on a legal election day decide?
Should it not be up to them if the project has died?

Sorry politics but this favoritism crap is getting old,
Waiting until the projected site’s already been sold,
Officials knew beforehand all the terms of the deal,
Elected criminals! Let us see what we can we steal.

A basketball superstar who is still getting the blame,
Never ran for office, governor is not before his name,
And now a year after the departure of LeBron James,
"Business as usual" in Cleveland, nothing has changed.

Okay, who allows Cleveland Clinic to be so darn bold?
Not only their own police force but their own zip code?
Shutting down fire stations, police districts and schools,
Billed as the premiere health care facility, rave reviews.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have what’s called best,
But, being located within city limits what about the rest?
Why not more dough from the Indians, Cavs & Browns?
Did we elect capable officials or did we vote for clowns?

Not one solid wall has been erected, Ohio rolls the dice,
Dangling rotten cheese in front of poker stars, how nice,
Gamblers look around in disbelief scratching their heads,
Ah, any wonder many have pronounced Cleveland dead?

By Luke Easter

Luke Easter is a poet who writes about things that are very close to the heart of Salem-News.com. Another former U.S. Marine, Luke heals the world with an approach that reaches people on a different level, one known for centuries, yet too often forgotten in the one we live in.

We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end.

Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job. You can write to Luke Easter at: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com