Anderson Speedway fights bill for overdue taxes

The company that owns the Anderson Speedway in central Indiana is fighting county officials over its bill for more than $125,000 in overdue property taxes.

The race track was listed as part of a Madison County tax sale until it was removed by a judge last month after Action Entertainment paid $25,000 toward the outstanding bill.

The company acknowledges owing taxes on the track but believes it has been charged too much. It filed an appeal with the county assessor's office, Action Entertainment president Rick Dawson told The Herald Bulletin.

"The dispute involves the assessed value of Anderson Speedway, the amount of taxes that are actually owed and penalties," Dawson said. "Once the issues are resolved, Action Entertainment will pay all the property taxes owed in a reasonable amount of time."

County Treasurer Kelly Gaskill said she supported the tax sale delay while Dawson tries to sort out the assessment.

"It was good for the county because we collected $25,000, and it was good for Mr. Dawson because it gives him more time to save the race track," she said.

The quarter-mile track hosts a variety of local and regional stock car races in the city about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Dawson said the track has been successful the past couple years after having business troubles during the recession and that he's worked to make it more family-friendly.

"Those changes are poised to pay huge dividends not only this year, but in the future," he said. "We've been able to weather the hard times and have been working to get everything cleaned up, and this is one of the last things."

The tax dispute is also jeopardizing the track's liquor license renewal in October, because county officials must certify there are no delinquent taxes for that to be approved.

Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission attorney Melissa Coxey said that before revoking a liquor license for nonpayment of property taxes the commission would likely conduct a hearing to determine the facts of the case.