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Editorials
Montgomery vote on video gaming correct : Editorials : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisMontgomery vote on video gaming correct
| 9/20/2012
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The Montgomery Village Board made the correct move this past week in voting to approve video gaming.
Under state law, businesses licensed by the village to serve alcoholic beverages on their premises, are now permitted to have up to five video gambling machines.
Use of the machines is limited under state law to individuals age 21 and older. The maximum payout per machine is $500.
State lawmakers passed legislation permitting the video gambling machines in 2009 to generate revenues to pay for a much-needed state-wide capital improvement program. Net revenues from the machines are to be taxed at 30 percent, with 25 percent going to the state and five percent to local municipalities.
The village board voted to amend the village's code to allow video gambling largely at the request of the Montgomery Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7452. VFW representatives told the village board this month they wanted to offer the machines for the use of the post's members. In addition, they hope to use revenues from the machines to purchase a new van to transport elderly veterans to Hines Veterans Hospital near Chicago.
VFW representatives also expressed concern that local businesses would lose business to restaurants and bars in other nearby communities if the village did not approve video gambling.
The nearby communities of Yorkville and Sugar Grove approved video gambling earlier this summer, and the Aurora City Council voted 10-2 in favor of allowing the machines Aug. 28.
The Aurora City council's vote is especially important to Montgomery businesses since the village borders the city to the north. If the village had continued to prohibit video gambling certainly area residents who enjoy it would seek it out by traveling just a few minutes north to the big city.
By approving video gambling the village board acted to keep the VFW and three other local businesses that could potentially offer the machines in a competitive position against comparable establishments in nearby communities.
We also hope the village board's vote prompts the Oswego Village Board to reconsider its recent decision not to allow video gambling.
Like the Montgomery VFW, the Oswego Legion Post 675 and some local taverns also sought to offer the machines to their customers. The Oswego Village Board's decision likely will cost the village and its taverns and restaurants revenues. Customers who enjoy video gaming will take their business to neighboring Montgomery, Aurora and other area communities.
The Oswego Board's vote was especially puzzling since there was no public outcry against the video gaming machines and we never heard a compelling argument against it from either board members or concerned residents. Since state law now permits video gaming under certain controlled circumstances, we continue to believe the decision to play the games should be made by individual, adult citizens and not local government.
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