St. Charles once more delays push tax on video gaming terminals – Shaw Native

While statewide litigation performs its hand, the town of St. Charles is as soon as once more deferring the imposition of a push tax on video gaming terminals.

Dating again to 2022, when the City Council first handed an ordinance to protect the suitable to enact a penny-for-push tax on video gaming, the town has consecutively delayed the transfer as a number of lawsuits throughout the state play out.

“Because there is still pending litigation regarding the city’s ability to actually impose this type of tax, we have extended out the imposition of this tax and the date for it to take effect several times,” City Administer Heather McGuire stated throughout a Dec. 1 metropolis assembly. “At this time, the litigation is still not resolved.”

The Council later agreed to defer the push tax to Dec. 31, 2026.

The additional time is designed to supply readability to the “lack of regulatory guidance and pending litigation that creates uncertainty about how the tax may be imposed,” in line with metropolis paperwork.

The metropolis has beforehand stated it expects to rake in round $300,000 yearly from the push tax.

Across Illinois, gamblers spent $33.6 billion in 2024 enjoying the gaming machines, in line with the Illinois Gaming Board.

The tax is designed to be handed on to customers of the terminals, to not be a tax on operators, in line with metropolis paperwork.

The native ordinance permits the operators to “determine how to collect the tax from the users.”

During a earlier assembly, Alderman Ryan Bongard stated he opposes the tax as a result of he doesn’t need it handed onto the customers and finally to the companies if the customers take their cash elsewhere.

Alderman Bryan Wirball stated he helps the tax as a result of it saves the town from having to make up that amount of money from much less desirous locations.

While deferred, the ordinance stays adopted however won’t be enforced.