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Rockford clubs ask Winnebago County to consolidate raffle-license classes to help small fundraising groups compete
Summary
A representative of the Rockford Association of Clubs urged the county to consolidate and raise raffle-license caps, saying $5,000 pots undermine clubs’ viability compared with neighboring Durand; county staff said a red-line draft is ready and consolidation is expected next month.
F. S. Tate, president of the Rockford Association of Clubs, appealed to the Winnebago County Board during public comment to consolidate and simplify the county’s raffle-license classes and to raise monetary caps that he said leave local clubs unable to compete with larger jackpots in neighboring municipalities.
“Raising or removing the monetary caps will cause 3 actions,” Tate said, arguing consolidation would satisfy the original request to compact different license classes, increase county revenue through higher fees, and help clubs remain viable against nearby events that draw much larger jackpots.
Tate said the association represents more than 20 organizations and described smaller $5,000 payouts as insufficient to retain past patrons who now travel to larger drawings elsewhere. He urged the board, “we need help, and we need help ASAP,” and recounted earlier discussions from November 2024 in which he said staff indicated consolidation could be done in a reasonable timeframe.
County staff responded that a red-line draft exists and that the county has been working with the state's attorney’s office. “We’re consolidating a lot of them ... So we're hoping to bring it through, next month,” said Mr. Dornbusch in reply. Board members explained that some municipalities (for example Durand) set their own raffle limits because they have separate jurisdiction and that the county has no authority over those municipal limits.
Board members noted clubs have not been able to reach consensus on a ceiling and that staff intend to streamline multiple license types (the committee cited six existing raffle-license classifications and said it plans to consolidate them into a single license to reduce administrative burden). The board did not take formal action at the meeting but directed staff to continue drafting consolidated language for committee consideration.
The county clerk’s office and the state's attorney’s office were described as participating in drafting changes; no ordinance text or final fee levels were adopted at the meeting.
