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Board weighs higher business registration fees and options for video gaming terminal charges; asks staff for legal and financial analysis
Summary
Staff proposed increasing annual business registration fees over time, introducing a flat late fee, and revisiting video gaming terminal (VGT) fee splits; trustees asked staff to confirm state law and provide data on local impacts and possible tiered structures.
Village staff presented proposed changes to business registration fees and video gaming terminal (VGT) licensing at the Sept. 15 board meeting and asked for direction. Staff proposed raising the annual business registration fee from $50 to $75 for the 2026 registration year, then escalating it by 10% each year until it reaches $100. Staff also proposed a $25 delinquent late fee and suggested automating renewal notices through a planned online portal.
On video gaming terminals, staff noted a prior October 2024 update that set the per‑terminal fee at $500 per machine but presented two options to raise village revenue: (1) split a $1,000 per‑terminal fee 50/50 per Illinois licensing practice, or (2) move to a higher fee ($1,500 per VGT) with a different split. Staff advised trustees that, under Illinois law as discussed at the meeting, licensing fees are typically split 50/50 between establishment and terminal operator unless home‑rule authority or additional legal review permits a different allocation.
Trustees discussed tiered fee structures by machine counts (for example, per‑terminal rates that increase with the number of machines or different classes for truck stops vs. restaurants). Trustees asked staff to: obtain a legal opinion from a gaming attorney about fee split authority under home‑rule, supply clearer revenue comparisons from neighboring towns, and produce a report on local per‑location VGT revenues. Staff said they would return with additional details at the next meeting, including options for tiered structures, and that no fee increases were finalized at the Sept. 15 meeting.
Staff also outlined administrative improvements: a planned online business-license portal to allow electronic renewals and automated reminders, and staff recommended gradual fee increases and a delinquent fee intended to reduce late renewals and administrative chasing. Trustees expressed general support for targeted increases to the business license fee and said they wanted more legal and financial analysis before choosing a VGT option.
