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Sunbury hears public split on changing $100 amusement-machine fee to percentage-based tax
Summary
Sunbury City Council held a public work session on an amusement-fee ordinance that would replace a longstanding $100-per-machine license with a percentage-based fee; speakers debated enforcement gaps, who benefits from new revenue, and pending state action that could supersede local rules.
Councilman Bornhart opened a Sunbury City work session on the amusement-fee ordinance and urged input on whether the city should move from a flat $100 annual license per machine to a percentage-based fee designated for events and downtown promotion.
The discussion centered on two linked questions: whether the city can and should enforce existing license rules it has historically failed to collect, and whether a switch to a percentage-based tax (proposals discussed at the meeting referred to 4% locally) would better fund events, tourism or services such as fire-company consolidation.
"When you take this amusement fee, use it for what it's supposed to be used for. Put it back into drawing people back into your city," Councilman Bornhart said, citing examples of Hershey and Bloomsburg as municipalities that reinvest such revenue into local promotion.
Several business owners and operators said enforcement and fairness are immediate concerns. "We have one…
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