St. Charles council inclined to keep banning video gambling
St. Charles aldermen are recommending the city keep prohibiting video gambling.
The city council — meeting as its government operations committee — voted 6-3 Tuesday night to deny a proposal to reverse the ban.
Aldermen did not discuss the matter at all. After City Administrator Mark Koenen made a presentation, Alderman Rita Payleitner recommended denying it. Payleitner was one of three aldermen who, at a committee meeting Aug. 17, voted against even considering reversing the ban.
Alderman Dan Stellato, chairman of the committee, did not vote.
The three “no” votes came from aldermen William Turner, Todd Bancroft and Art Lemke.
The council began reconsidering the city's stance in July at the request of Mayor Ray Rogina. He said he had changed his mind on the topic since voting for the ban as an alderman.
Rogina said he appreciated that the council had at least agreed to reconsider the issue. “I respect the vote, and we move along,” Rogina said.
Members of the local Fraternal Order of Moose lodge and some owners of restaurants had favored allowing video gambling.
For the city to receive $100,000 annually from the terminals, gamblers would have to lose $2 million a year on the machines, and there would have to be at least 53 machines in play, according to the city's finance director. Bars, restaurants and fraternal organizations that have liquor licenses could have up to five terminals each. The state levies a 30 percent tax on net terminal income — the gamblers' losses.
Of the city's neighbors, Geneva, Campton Hills, West Chicago and unincorporated DuPage County have banned video gambling. South Elgin allows it. And it is allowed in unincorporated Kane County.
The full city council will have to vote on the matter. Should it decide to reject the denial, the matter would then return to the government operations committee.