June 4th, 2012 by WCBC Radio
Gaming revenues for Allegany County- once touted as a significant new flow of dollars for the county- have declined dramatically in recent years, and the trend is expected to continue. That was one of several comments made by Jason Bennett, county finance director, in his preliminary budget presentation at last Thursday’s county commission meeting. The tip jar/paper gaming revenues were legalized with the intention of providing the county with a new stream of funding for fire and rescue departments; and capital school projects. Between 2004 and 2011 a total of $2.3 million in gaming revenue went toward various school building and renovation projects. In the current fiscal year, just $1.1 million went to capital school projects and the estimate for 2013 is that just $96,000 will be available. The county’s paper gaming/tip jar revenue stream suffered a major hit a few years ago when the state outlawed electronic gaming devices. The decline could be made even worse when the proposed Rocky Gap slots parlor opens in a few years…
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