Counties Get First Round Of Casino Tax Revenue

All 88 Ohio counties are getting a jackpot of their own. It’s the very first round of revenue from a tax on Ohio’s new gambling casinos. The gambling venues in Cleveland and Toledo are already in operation, and two other casinos are soon to open in Columbus and Cincinnati. The casinos’ gross revenue is being taxed at 33 percent, with about half of the tax money earmarked for counties. In this first allotment, nearly $20 million is being sent to the counties by the State Department of Taxation. Joe Testa is the director, and he tells statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen that some cities are also getting a piece of the action. Click the play button above to hear their conversation.