SEARCH NEWS:

 

Indiana Casino Cash Mix-Up Leads to Tax Hike

CORYDON, Indiana – As reported by the Associated Press: "A mistake that resulted in $3 million in riverboat gambling revenue not being used as planned to lower school taxes has left Harrison County residents saddled with higher property taxes this year.

"The error has sparked recriminations over what happened and who is responsible, and allegations that some people hope to use the issue politically in the fall election.

"…Harrison County receives about $23 million a year in tax money from the Caesars Indiana riverboat at Bridgeport, about 15 miles southwest of Louisville, Ky.

"Of that amount, at least $3 million a year was earmarked during the previous two years to provide property tax relief to residents by covering school-building bond payments, thus reducing the tax rate needed to cover school debt.

"However, this year's money was not applied to debt-service payments because the checks arrived too late to be reflected in the 2004 budgets.

"That meant the current tax bills sent out on Aug. 2 -- far later than usual because of property reassessment -- were higher than they would have been had the riverboat money been included…"

< Gaming News