After months of debate, the Mahomet board voted 4-2 at its Nov 24 meeting to repeal the village's ban on video gaming in the hopes of bringing in up to $25,000 in additional tax revenue.
Three Mahomet residents came to the meeting to share their thoughts on video gaming with the board. Laurie Ludwig suggested the board pass a non-binding resolution so the question could be decided by village voters. Fran Street was concerned about the difficulty of reversing the board's decision with citizen action alone, and Sandra Hastings said she was concerned about video gaming turning the village into "a truck stop." She asked the village to push instead for businesses that bring higher-paying jobs.
The measure's supporters say the move will be a boon for village coffers and won't have the degrading impact on village culture that opponents are concerned about. Mahomet's decision comes as many surrounding communities have embraced video gaming as a legitimate source of revenue.
Trustees Bruce Colravy, Andy Harpst, Bill Oliger and Brian Metzger voted to repeal the ban, while trustees Vicki Cook and Don Lynn voted to keep the ban in effect.
The trustees also held a public hearing and vote on the 2014-2015 tax levy. The board unanimously approved the levy and all of its related applications.
The meeting was adjourned after 46 minutes.
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