Story Published:
Nov 17, 2009 at 9:05 PM CST
Story Updated:
Nov 17, 2009 at 10:18 PM CST
The Tazewell County Board will vote Wednesday on a measure some business owners say could make or break their bottom line.
The board will consider opting out of a state law allowing video poker machines.
Many lawmakers viewed the legislation as a revenue generator for the state's capital program.
A lawyer representing the nearly two dozen bars in unincorporated Tazewell County says the ban could shift patrons to municipal bars that still allow video poker.
"In Tazewell county in these unincorporated areas there is a projected profit of $280,000 that can go toward the county. It is unrestricted and they can spend it on whatever they want, said Jeff Hall, attorney. "The county, at least some on the board, are wanting to opt out."
"That kind of puts me on an island because there are businesses all around me on the circle and I will be the only one sitting there without it, I won't be able to compete," said Annetta Carrigan, Carrigan's Pub Owner.
But that assumes that local incorporated areas allow video gambling.
Major areas like DuPage and Cook County have already opted out of allowing video gambling there.
Wednesday, Nov 18 at 12:43 PM OldCoyote wrote ...
Is think this is one of the county boards dumber issues. Must be some of the religious right on the board who want to use their position to impose their moral beliefs on the rest of us. Talk about the state sponsoring a religion. This should be an illegal vote.