Ohio voters will decide Tuesday whether the state's Clean Ohio environmental program should be continued and added to the state's constitution.

They'll also choose whether Ohio should join with other states and amend its constitution to protect private property rights in ground water, lakes and other watercourses.

• Issue 2, if approved by voters, would authorize the state to issue up to $200 million in bonds for conservation and preservation of natural areas, open spaces and farmlands and other lands devoted to agriculture. The money could be used by the state to acquire land for public use and maintain state and local park recreation facilities.

The funds also could be put toward environmental revitalization and redevelopment of publicly and privately owned lands - including environmental remediation, assessment or cleanup of contamination or pollution.

The amount of money borrowed for these purposes would be limited to $50 million.

"This is just a continuation of the Clean Ohio Program," said Belmont County Commissioner Mark Thomas. "While it is proposed by the General Assembly, it is important to our electorate. There are no taxes involved if you vote 'yes.' It just authorizes the state to issue bonds."

He noted that Issue 2 is actually a portion of the $400 million Ohio Jobs Stimulus Package proposed by Gov. Ted Strickland earlier this year, and that the Belmont County commissioners have passed a resolution encouraging a "yes" vote on Issue 2.

The commissioners believe the issue is vital to Belmont County, according to Thomas, in that county facilities such as the Carnes Center and the new Belmont County Fairgrounds would be eligible for the funding. The money also could be applied for by the Belmont County Port Authority, he pointed out.

"The county could purchase a brownfield site from an entity to remediate and clean it up," Thomas said. "This goes a long way toward economic development."

While supporters say Issue 2 will help the state to protect drinking water and to clean up and redevelop polluted former industrial sites, those in opposition worry about the potential $400 million pricetag at a time when the economy is in chaos.

"You and your children will have to pay this money back," the Ohio Ballot Board states in arguments against Issue 2. "This money could be retained by taxpayers for their own purposes or used for other plans and directly helping people in need."

The board, which prescribes and certifies ballot language for proposed constitutional amendments, initiatives and referenda and oversees efforts to inform voters of proposed ballot issues according to the Secretary of State's Office, wrote the argument after no arguments were submitted to it by anyone in opposition.

• Issue 3, if approved, would amend Ohio's constitution to protect private property rights in groundwater, lakes and other watercourses.

It would make explicit that a private property owner has a right to make a reasonable use of water beneath their land or any watercourse that flows through it.

An opposing argument to Issue 3 prepared by the Ohio Ballot Board states that the Supreme Court of Ohio already has determined that private property owners have rights to water under their land and flowing through it.

The board wrote the argument after no arguments were submitted to it by anyone in opposition to Issue 3.

In total, Ohio voters will see five state issues on their ballot, as Issue 4 was removed from the ballot.

Issue 1 would require petitions for state ballot issues to be filed no later than 125 days before an election and would require boards of elections to act more quickly to determine the validity of the petitions.

Issue 5 pertains to regulations on payday lenders in the state, and Issue 6 would permit a casino in southwestern Ohio.