ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – The city of Rockford could have one of the stiffest video gaming fees in Illinois if voters approve home rule.
The Rockford Register Star reports that Mayor Tom McNamara’s administration is proposing an annual fee of $1,000 per machine for those who operate video gaming terminals.
A referendum will be included on the Tuesday primary ballot that asks city voters to approve home rule authority in Rockford. Home rule would provide Rockford with broader powers to tax and govern itself.
Current state law allows rule communities that participate in video gaming to charge a license fee of up to $25 per machine.
The increase would generate nearly $450,000 in additional revenue for the city. Rockford leaders say the city needs new revenue to keep pace with expenses in the years ahead.
