COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio has shelved plans to create a two-state
lottery with Pennsylvania because state lawmakers don't support it.
The state had informal conversations with Pennsylvania in April,
but abandoned the idea after Ohio lawmakers wouldn't support the
plan as part of the 2002-2003 state budget passed in June.
Mardele Cohen, Ohio Lottery Commission spokeswoman,
said Monday that there was no reason to continue the conversations
after lawmakers eliminated the idea.
Lottery officials hoped a two-state lottery would attract
people who play only when the jackpot is large.
Last month, Gov. Bob Taft again proposed the idea of joining a
multistate lottery to help make up a $1.5 billion deficit.
House lawmakers quickly eliminated the proposal again.
Pennsylvania state lawmakers said in a report that its lottery fund will run out of money in two years.
The report, which was created by the state's Department of Aging, said the lottery will spend its $100 million reserve and will be $180 million in debt by July 2003.
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