By: Diane Benjamin
When I reported on Tax Receipts missing from David Hales’ April City Manager report, (https://blnnews.com/2016/06/08/april-city-managers-report/) my first thought was Renner/Hales plan to raise taxes. It’s difficult to do if receipts show above budgeted amounts – they did in his March report.
Monday night the Council is going after anybody with video gaming for no other reason than they can. Obviously these entrepreneurs are making too much money on their free markets investment. Renner wants more because it’s just not fair.
Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan
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The only good part of Renner’s reign as Mayor is that citizens have a clear view of why Illinois is a failing State. Electing the first self-proclaimed Democrat Mayor did the same thing to Bloomington that Madigan did to the State.
I can’t wait to see what aldermen agree with him. It wouldn’t be on the agenda if he didn’t have 5 votes.
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The “Background” for this agenda item fails to report that the City already receives $706,270.74 annually from taxes on the profits from the video gaming terminals. Here is where there is a lack of “transparency.” One has to do follow-up research to find that information.
Could be more, it’s a % of sales.
ILLINOIS GAMING BOARD VIDEO GAMING REPORT Bloomington January 2015 – December 2015.
This is buried in the 194 page packet on pages 155 and 156.
The proposed license fee would be an additional 0.6%.