LaSalle County license panel raises video-gaming and liquor fees, leaves amusement fee unchanged

The LaSalle County License Committee voted July 7 to increase the county fee for video-gaming machines from $25 per machine to $50 per machine, with a maximum of six machines per location, and approved a roughly 10 percent increase of the liquor license fee from $500 to $550.

Chair Don Jensen opened the meeting and moved through agenda items before members debated an initial proposal to jump video-gaming fees to $100 per machine. "I would make a motion to raise it to a $100 a machine," said Mister Traeger during early debate, citing comparable charges in other jurisdictions and noting distributors often absorb part of the cost. Staff later advised the committee that establishments currently hold between three and six machines. Amanda Znicki, staff, told the committee the licenses are due in January and that any fee changes would be implemented at the next renewal cycle after a resolution goes before the full board.

After several amendment proposals — including staged increases discussed by multiple members — the committee approved, by motion and voice/roll-call, a change setting the fee at $50 per machine for the coming cycle and noting intent to revisit higher levels in a subsequent year. The committee also confirmed that distributor licensing remains separate; staff reported distributors currently pay a higher distributor fee in the county.

On liquor licensing, the committee discussed raising the county liquor license by about 10 percent. Following a motion and second, members carried the increase from the current $500 rate to $550, with the chair noting the change would begin with the next licensing cycle after full-board approval. The proposed increase to the beer-garden permit was discussed and ultimately left unchanged.

Amanda Znicki summarized the practical impact on establishments: some distributors already remit payment on behalf of establishments, and staff said only a small number of the county’s sites had distributors pay directly. "I've even had some of the vendors pay," Znicki said, describing a few instances where the distributor sent the county the check for a location’s machines.

The committee instructed staff to prepare the necessary resolutions and present them to the full board before the January renewal cycle. The amusement license fee, listed at $150, was reviewed and left unchanged.

The committee adjourned after confirming plans to return next month to follow up on outstanding items.

What the committee did: it voted to raise the video-gaming machine license fee to $50 per machine (up to six machines) and to raise the county liquor license fee from $500 to $550; amusement license fees were not changed. Resolutions will be forwarded to the full board for implementation at the next renewal cycle.