Casino-tax revenue could pay for Ohio county jail

LANCASTER, Ohio (AP) — Gamblers may end up paying for a new lockup in one central Ohio county.

Counties around the state are beginning to receive their first payouts from casino-tax revenue. The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Fairfield County, southeast of Columbus, could use its share to help build a much-needed new jail.

A new jail has been discussed for about a decade in the county of about 147,000 residents, where the surge in inmates has kept the facility overcrowded.

County commissioners are scheduled to discuss the casino-tax funding idea Oct. 4.

The first quarterly payouts from the state began arriving early last month, leading to discussions in many counties about how to spend the money.