Clark County Casino Funds
$400,145 — Oct. 2015
$385,665 — July 2015
$413,231 — April 2015
$383,141 — Jan. 2015
$415,171 — Oct. 2014
409,258 — July 2014
397,724 — April 2014
$416,371 — Jan. 2014
$425,783 — Oct. 2013
$428,216 — July 2013
$381,481 — April 2013
$318,831 — Jan. 2013
$239,892 — Oct. 2012
$120,191 — July 2012
Champaign County Casino Funds
$114,657 — Oct. 2015
$110,508 — July 2015
$118,406 — April 2015
$111,016 — Jan. 2015
$120,297 — Oct. 2014
$118,584 — July 2014
$115,242 — April 2014
$120,065 — Jan. 2014
$122,779 — Oct. 2013
$123,481 — July 2013
$110,004 — April 2013
$92,147 — Jan. 2013
$69,332 — Oct. 2012
$34,737 — July 2012
Source: Ohio Department of Taxation
Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun has kept you informed on the issues that have arisen since Ohio approved casinos in the state. We will continue to keep you up to date on all the latest developments.
Clark and Champaign counties have seen their casino revenue shrink this year.
Clark County’s casino revenue fell to $1.5 million this year, nearly 4 percent less than in 2014.
Administrator Nathan Kennedy estimated the county would receive about $1.5 million this year, and he anticipates the county will continue to see a decline in casino revenue in 2016.
“I think it’s going to slowly decline over a period of time with all the other competing gambling sources out there. From my understanding, you have racinos out there and the newness of the casinos have worn off,” Kennedy said.
The money the county receives is used to pay for county operations as well as projects such as the planned renovations of Clark County Common Pleas Court, the A.B. Graham building and Springview Government Center.
“We’re just using it to replace our local government funds,” Kennedy said.
Champaign County received more than $454,000 in casino revenue this year, down from $474,000 in 2014.
Statewide, Ohio’s four casinos generated $66.8 million in revenue this year, up from $63.8 million last year, according to the Ohio Casino Commission.
Ohio’s 11 racinos generated $70 million in their first full year of operation, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission.
Clark and Champaign counties saw increases in casino revenue this quarter, according to county-by-county quarterly casino revenue distribution figures from the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Clark County received more than $400,000 last month, up nearly 4 percent since July when the county received more than $385,000.
In October 2014, Clark County received more than $415,000.
Champaign County received more than $114,000, up from about $110,000 in July but down slightly from the more than $120,000 it received in October 2014.
Ohio voters in 2009 amended the state constitution to allow casinos in select cities in the state. Ohio levies a 33 percent tax on adjusted gross gambling revenue, which is the amount left after winners are paid.
Local governments receive four casino payments each year; school districts in Ohio share 34 percent of that tax revenue and get two casino payments per year.
Casino revenue accounts for about 3.5 percent of Clark County’s $41 million general fund and less than 1 percent of the total budget of about $160 million.
The money has helped the county deal with investment revenue declines and state cuts to the local government fund, Kennedy said.
“Those used to be two main revenue sources that have never returned,” Kennedy said.
Before the recession the county received $3.5 million to $4 million in investment revenue. The county now receives about $800,000. Local government revenue dropped from $3.5 million to $1 million, he said.
“It’s been a huge cut,” Kennedy said.
Champaign County Clerk/Administrator Andrea Millice said officials anticipated casino revenue would drover from 2014 and hover at about $450,000 this year.
Millice said officials have predicted the revenue to remain at that level in 2016.
“We just tried to be conservative in our estimate,” Millice said.
Clark County Commissioner John Detrick said casino funds are unreliable.
“It makes it hard for us to balance our budget. It’s better than not having it, but there’s a lot of uncertainty with the revenue stream,” Detrick said. “There’s a lot of other forms of gambling that we don’t get revenue from, from horse races to certain slot machines, that are going to affect this number over the next few years.”
Detrick added that the decline in casino revenue is the reason the county should extend its temporary half-percent sales tax, which bring in about $700,000 annually.
Commissioners in August 2013 voted 2-1 to continue the half-percent sales tax for three years and said they would decide whether to again extend the tax, reduce it or eliminate it before June 2016.
“We need to extend the temporary sales tax until things settle down in these other revenue areas,” Detrick said.
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