Austintown officials consider use of racino payments

July 4, 2015 at 6:36p.m.

AUSTINTOWN

Township officials will decide over the coming months what to do with the $1 million they will receive from two years’ worth of racino payments.

“Right now, we all have an agreement [in the township] that we put that money in escrow,” said Ken Carano, Austintown trustee. “We didn’t put it in a budget and we’re not going to put it in a budget yet ... If the check comes in, it could be added to the budget in 2016.”

Republican Gov. John Kasich approved the state budget Wednesday and within that budget was language for $500,000 payments for Austintown Township due by Dec. 31, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2016. Half of the funds will come from the state’s track relocation fund and the other half from Penn National Gaming Inc. which operates Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in the township.