Ohio House to debate racino payment issue Wednesday

AUSTINTOWN

The office of Gov. John Kasich’s office commented for the first time on the $500,000 racino payment debate since an amendment passed the Ohio Senate last week.

“The administration continues to believe that this financial responsibility lies solely on the operators, and we will continue to push for that,” said Rob Nichols, a Kasich spokesman.

“We continue to believe that the way the legislation is currently written is basically a tax that applies to no one but us, and we don’t believe that is a fair or appropriate way to deal with this issue,” countered Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for Penn National Gaming Inc..

The Ohio House of Representatives will have House Bill 494 with the attached amendment in front of it Wednesday. State Rep. Ronald V. Gerberry of Austintown, D-59th, said the House enters session at 1:30 p.m., most likely its last session of the year.

The House can concur on the bill, which already passed the Ohio Senate with some changes to the earlier House version, or can send it into a conference committee.

Read more on the issue in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.