Ohio gaming expert gets take of higher casino tax

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

One of Gov. John Kasich’s two new gambling consultants struck a deal with the state to receive a percentage of every dollar in new casino revenue it helps generate for the state.

Amid the negotiations, Los Angeles-based Moelis & Company advised the governor he could raise taxes and fees on the casinos, according to state documents obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

An April 15 memo from Moelis suggested there was “significant room to implement changes such as increases in the initial license fee and/or tax percentage.” The advice was contained in an email to the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, which handled the awarding of Moelis’ contract.

Email obtained by the AP through a public-records request also indicated the firm’s first phone call with the governor’s office was two days earlier — the same day Kasich first commented publicly in favor of gaining more money from casino operators. He said taxpayers had agreed to a raw deal when they legalized the gambling houses in 2009.