File photo: Video gaming machines (Eric Ginnard)
Business owners in Sandwich will see an increase in annual fees for video gaming machines at their businesses.
The City Council adopted three ordinances amending city municipal codes relating to liquor licensing, video gaming, and coin-operated amusement during a meeting March 7.
Video gaming machines will now cost business owners a fee of $75 per terminal every year, up from $25, while coin-operated amusement devices fees, such as electronic dart boards, jukeboxes, and pinball machines, were lowered to $50 per machine, from $150.
The state of Illinois set the initial annual fee per video gaming terminal at $25. At the end of last year, however, Gov. Pritzker signed an amendment allowing non-home rule municipalities like Sandwich to raise the fee up to $250 per terminal.
Aldermen voted 7-1 in favor of the amendment increasing the fee to $75 per machine.
Alderman Rick Whitecotton cast the lone negative vote on the motion to approve the fee hike.
“I believe it was too big of a raise at one time,” Whitecotton said after the meeting. “Sometimes just because you can, doesn’t make it right.”
Sandwich’s alcoholic beverage license code was also amended to include new classes of licenses for microbreweries, wineries, and distilleries. Should someone want to open one in the city, it will come with a $750 licensing fee.
David Petesch is a reporter for Kendall County Now.
Copyright © 2021 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2021 Shaw Local News Network
