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Casino revenue prompts Mulvane to lower property taxes

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July 17, 2012|by Melissa Scheffler | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(MULVANE, Kan.) — Just like Randy Nelson could use a break from the heat, he'd take a drop in taxes too.  He'll at least catch some slack in his property tax.  The Mulvane city council agreed to reduce property taxes by 10-percent.

"Anything will help.  10, 15, 5... anything will help yes,” Nelson said.

Nelson, like other residents, will notice the change on his December 2013 statement.  City Administrator Kent Hixson says a home assessed at 120-thousand-dollars will save about 69-dollars a year in city taxes.  And that's not all.

“We're able to shift the cost traditionally borne by some of the electrical to the property tax and we're able to reduce the expenses for the utilities,” Hixson said.

It's cutting city electrical rates by five-percent almost immediately.

"That's great too,” Nelson said.

The city says the reductions are the pay-off for taking a chance on the Kansas Star Casino.  The city receives one-percent of its gross gaming revenue.  So far that's 844-thousand dollars—that’s more than what was projected for the entire year.

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"We are in an extremely fortunate position,” Hixson said.

Not only is the city getting a portion of the casino's revenue, it's also able to collect property tax on all of this... bringing in more money to Mulvane.

"The casino is not property tax exempt.  That's the big benefit of a casino,” Hixson said.

Hixson says the city's budget doesn't include any fee increases.  And, he expects to pass more of the casino's winnings onto the residents.

"We are very happy to be making a positive impact in our community.  A place where we call home and a place where the citizens have been very supportive of us,” Scott Cooper with the Kansas Star Casino said.

Nelson always supported the casino.

"I was hoping something like that would happen.  That's great,” Nelson said.

And he still does... especially with the tax break.

The city is also using some of the money on projects it has put-off for years.  It's improving its wastewater treatment plant and water system.  It's also adding a new EMS substation near the casino.

The Mulvane city council agreed to reduce property taxes by 10-percent.
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