Ohio casino revenues down for last quarter of 2014
YOUNGSTOWN
Casino-tax revenues for Ohio’s 88 counties and eight major cities, including Youngstown, fell significantly in the final quarter of 2014, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation.
In the current quarterly distribution, Youngstown and Mahoning County are each getting $329,026, compared with $356,532 in October, $351,454 in July and $341,549 in April 2014.
In the current distribution, which was announced Jan. 7, Trumbull County is getting $580,879, compared with $629,439 in October, $620,474 in July and $602,987 in April.
From the current distribution, Columbiana County is getting $297,958, compared with $322,866 in October, $318,268 in July and $309,298 in April.
The current quarterly distribution totals just under $25 million to be shared among all 88 counties and just over $7.6 million for the state’s eight major cities combined.
In the twice-yearly distribution to school districts made this month, $45.25 million is being allotted statewide, down from $45.76 million last summer.
Some notable allocations are Youngstown City Schools, $127,882, compared with $134,211 last summer; Austintown, $132,284, compared with $135,913 last summer; and Boardman, $110,120, compared with $114,240 six months ago.
Warren City Schools got $124,283 this month, compared with $128,705 six months ago; and Salem City Schools got $52,216 this month, compared with $53,026 six months ago.
Jessica Franks, communications director for the Ohio Casino Control Commission, which regulates the four casinos in Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus and Cincinnati, said the drop in tax revenues from them “very well could be” due to competition from the state’s seven racinos.
However, she noted that monthly revenue in December 2014 exceeded that of December 2013 in all four casinos. Franks said she wasn’t sure if weather or promotions offered by the casinos accounted for that increase.
“With the racinos opening, we were told that our casino distributions would start to drop,” said Debbie Santangelo, senior accountant in the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office, who was summarizing the comments of state officials.
Racinos are closer to where many Ohioans live, she said, noting that the Austintown racino is conveniently located for Mahoning Valley residents.
Carol Rimedio-Righetti, Mahoning County commissioner, said she does not expect gambling will increase until late February or early March, when many people will finish paying Christmas and income-tax bills.
“As the racinos have opened, we’ve been cautioning people against using year-to-year or quarter-to-quarter totals as the new facilities opened up because it’s not a consistent comparison,” with the last of seven racinos not having opened until late last year, Franks said.
“We’re going to need to see a full year or two of having all 11 gaming operations being open to get a better sense of how people are spending their gambling dollars,” Franks added.
Funding comes from a 33 percent gross revenue tax on the state’s four casinos, which offer slot machines and table games.
Casino revenues are separate from tax revenues from the state’s seven racinos, which combine slot machines with horse racing, but don’t have table games.
The last of the state’s seven racinos, Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown, opened its casino Sept. 17 and began horse racing Nov. 24.
Unlike tax revenues from the four casinos, racino tax revenue isn’t designated for cities and counties.
The Ohio Lottery Commission, which regulates racinos, gets one-third of the gross receipts and directs that money to public education in Ohio.