Council receives notice of proposed mechanical amusement device tax, projects $2M–$3M in revenue

Council legislative staff on Wednesday read a public notice introducing council bill 2026544, which would create a Mechanical Amusement Device Tax for machines offered for play in city businesses.

The notice, read by Sean Carter (legislative projects manager), classified devices into three categories and proposed annual per-device fees: $1,000 for Class 1 devices (poker machines, video slot machines and similar amusement devices); $100 for Class 2 devices (prize machines such as stuffed-animal or candy dispensers); and $10 for Class 3 devices (entertainment devices such as jukeboxes, pool tables and pinball machines). The notice said the tax would be imposed as a condition of licensing and estimated initial revenue of $2 million to $3 million per year.

No substantive debate on the measure took place at the committee meeting; the item was presented as legislative notice under state law. The council clerk also reminded the public about upcoming meeting dates and Juneteenth closures.

What's next: The introduced bill will follow the council's legislative process for hearings and votes; interested parties should watch future agendas and committee referrals for public hearings and fiscal analyses.