Russell County supervisors oppose Bristol proposal to redirect regional casino funds

A majority of the Russell County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 5 rejected a City of Bristol proposal to reallocate regional casino revenues and said the county would present its opposition to the regional improvement commission and to legislators ahead of a Jan. 14 reconvened meeting.

An unnamed county supervisor who represents Russell County on the regional commission presented data from a Bristol manager’s slide deck, saying Bristol sought scenarios in which Bristol would receive a substantially larger share of casino disbursements — in one draft, as much as 27 percent of a restructured distribution and in another example up to 50 percent of initial funds. “My figure was 0,” the supervisor said, describing the recommended Russell County position to keep the county’s current allocation intact.

The presenter and other supervisors said Russell County currently dedicates its casino‑share receipts to education and public safety (fire/rescue) and that the county has budgeted those funds into current spending. The supervisor warned that redirecting the funds could require local tax increases, estimating “at the minimum, this year alone, 3.53¢” on the tax rate.

Board members pressed on Bristol’s finances and past audit findings; the presenter summarized audit histories and various local Bristol projects and argued the city’s request did not demonstrate sufficient internal budget reductions or transparency to justify reallocation. Several supervisors said Bristol’s reported debt, including projected landfill costs, made grants unsustainable and that short‑term transfers would not fix structural problems.

The board voted to oppose the reallocation and to have county representatives convey that opposition to other counties and to the commission. A reconvened casino board vote was scheduled for Jan. 14; Russell County officials said they would seek to ensure the legislature and other counties understood that Russell County’s casino receipts are restricted by the commission’s enabling code to the priority areas of education, transportation and public safety.

What’s next: County representatives said they will present the board’s position to the regional commission and continue outreach to other counties and state legislators before the Jan. 14 meeting.

Source: Presentation and discussion to the Russell County Board of Supervisors (transcript segments beginning SEG 110 through SEG 870).