The term “splitting the baby” is derived from accounts of King Solomon in the Old Testament and refers to a willingness to divide awards in a dispute so all parties can feel they’ve gained something. No more, no less for anyone.

Warren County and Ameristar Casino didn’t have a philosopher king to help them decide how much property taxes the casino should pay this year, but the settlement reached last week in an 8-month tax appeal lawsuit added clarity to how much money the county will have in the new fiscal year.

Ameristar’s tax burden for this year will be a shade above $3.3 million — more than the $2.3 million paid two years ago, before a new parking garage and other additions came on the tax rolls, but less than the $4.3 million they were billed before filing suit in December.

Supervisors’ demands for a balanced budget appear to have started a game of chicken for county departments this year. So far, subtractions from the budget to reflect the settlement are balanced by higher assessments on utility companies and savings from farming out medical care for jail inmates. Cuts of about $44,000 will get the county’s ledger to zero, but will cut down on routine repairs and maintenance of county buildings.

Another tax appeal suit, involving Riverwalk Casino, has hung out there even longer and figures to make a big dent in some department’s operating budget. In September 2009, the casino and the county were $47 million apart. Reports weeks ago say they’ve narrowed the divide to $10 million.

By demanding that their administrator “zero out” their budgetary cash register with a $4.6 million expected loss built in because of the suit, supervisors like their odds of a budget they can tolerate before nearly inevitable overruns from law enforcement and the judicial system.

Here’s hoping a philosopher king won’t be necessary to hammer out this next settlement with a casino.