Ohio’s unclaimed funds exist for one purpose: to safeguard money that belongs to Ohioans until it can be returned. Redirecting hundreds of millions of those dollars to help build a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns is not economic development; it is a transfer of private assets to an already profitable sports franchise (“ Judge rejects bid to block state from using unclaimed funds ,” Dec. 10). Whether the individual balances are five dollars or five thousand dollars, they are still the rightful property of those citizens, not a slush fund for politically connected projects.

If Ohio lawmakers believe stadiums deserve public investment, they should make that argument openly and budget for it transparently. Raiding unclaimed funds short-circuits public debate and sets a dangerous preced

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