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Carano talks $500K racino payment at Austintown trustee meeting
By ROBERT CONNELLY
AUSTINTOWN
Trustee Ken Carano continued his discussion of Austintown’s racino payment issue.
He highlighted Republican Gov. John Kasich’s line-item veto of the $500,000 racino amendment that would have ensured Austintown and Dayton receive those funds as promised. The payments would have been divided under that plan, 50 percent from parent company Penn National Gaming Inc. and 50 percent from the track relocation fund.
Penn National will pay $150 million over 10 years into that fund for moving tracks from Toledo and Grove City, Ohio, to Dayton and Austintown, respectively. Those are Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway and Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
The amendment was approved by the Ohio Senate on House Bill 494 and was concurred in the Ohio House last week. Kasich made the line veto Friday.
“It all passed, but we were pretty much worried about what was going to happen — and it did happen,” Carano said of the veto at Monday’s trustees’ meeting. “[Penn National] admitted to us wholeheartedly that they want us to get the $500,000.”
Carano continued, “I’m going to hold my comments. Being an old-time politician, especially at the state level, frankly there looks like there can be some collusion there.”
He further said he would address the issues he had with the payment debate, specifically the collusion part, at the state-of-the-township address. He ended his comments with a statement on the recent comments by Penn National.
“I have to chastise them for their use of the argument that if they have to pay this, they won’t give to organizations,” Carano said. “I wish they would have said we don’t want to pay anymore taxes and leave it at that.”
Officials also approved a new liquor license to Primo Properties LLC doing business as Holiday Inn and Suites Austintown, 5555 Cerni Place.
Trustee Jim Davis explained the township had previously objected to the liquor license in recent attempts by the business. There were no objections this time.
Trustee Lisa Oles and Police Chief Robert Gavalier did not attend the meeting.
Davis also highlighted major achievements for the township this year. Among them were the dedication of a playing field in honor of the late Wally Bell, a Major League Baseball umpire; the opening of a dog park and the excitement surrounding the racino.
“To all of Austintown, thank you. You passed levies in favor of us,” Davis said of the two tax renewals approved by voters in November.