FROM THE EDITOR
Whlle I was haviDg lunch with an operator hieDeI of mine recently, the
subject of apathy came up. "How some operators can sit back and watch
others do all the work is a mystery to me," he said. I replied that apathy
isn't just a problem at the operating level; it is also a problem at the
distn'buting and manufaeturing levels as weD.
It's common knowledge that of the eight to ten thousand amusement
machine operators out there, just over 1,000 are members of their
national trade association. 'The figures at the state level are even more
discouraging. Distn'butors and manufacturers don't even have
associations to belong to. Whlle some collaborate seeretly, others just
fight it out alone. Perhaps it wiD take • federal anti-trust suit over
protected territories or something of that nature for them to wise up.
There's not only safety in numbers, there's also strength. H labor can
organize itself, as indeed it has, then ID&II&pIDeDt should have the right
to organize also. The law aIl9W1 business to collaborate tbrouP
associations within Hmits. Yet the law prohibits such adivities as
price-ming, conspiraey, etc. But there's nothing wrong with getting
together, discussing common problems, and finding the best solutions to
them. 'There's a whole lot more to be gained through such interadion
than there is to lose. EspeclaIly, if you go into it with the intention of
contributing your own personal resourses for the betterment of the
industry rather than for personal gain.
Whlle it's that time of the year when business is in somewhat of a lull, I
would like to bring to your attention two important points. First, be
reminded that all subscribers have been maned their Annual Subseriber
PoD Questionaire. Be sure to complete it and man it back to us by
October 1,1977. Should any of our other readers wish to participate in
this nationwide survey, simply call or write, and a questionaire wiD be
sent to you.
Second, if you are not solely an operator, and were not listed in our
1977 Directo" Issue. yOU can be included by fiIlina out the Direetory '78
portion of the Reader's Service canllocated between pages 32 & 35.
Likewise, if you know someone who ~ be listed, please feel free to
pass it along to them.
Remember, the Directory Issue lists
Manufacturers, DiP.tributors, Service and Supply, and Support
Companies-- not operators. Our Directory Issue would look like a
telephone directory if we tried to list aD the operators in the United
States.
In this issue of PLAY METER, Managing Editor David Pierson peers
into the industry's tax and license problems. His findings are quite
startling. Our Coinman spotlight is on Florida operator Wes
his own success and failure with sales tax and licensing fees. In other
features, Thelma Fair points out what your wife should know about your
business, and industry member/historian John Osborne analyzes the
new "disco singles". Together with a rather substantial installment of
Critic's Comer and some wise advice from our technical writers, and a
few other little goodies, it all adds up to be a pretty good issue. So
Enjoy.
Sincerely,
uwson -
Calendar
August 5-7
North Carolina Coin Operators
Assn., Inc., annual meeting.
Radisson Hotel, Charlotte, NC.
September 16-18
Florida Amusement Merchandis-
ing J\ssociation, annual conven-
tion and trade show. Deauville
Hotel, Miami, FL.
September 17-18
Wisconsin Music Merchants Asso-
ciation, annual meeting. Hilton
Inn, Eau Claire, WI.
September 22-24
West Virginia Music and Vending
Association, annual convention,
Heart-O-Town Motor Inn,
Charleston, WV.
September 29-0ctober 1
Music Operators of Virginia,
annual convention, Hyatt House,
Richmond, VA.
October 13-16
National Automatic Merchandis-
ing Association, annual conven-
tion and trade show. McCormick
Place, Chicago, IL.
October 28-30
Amusement Music Operators As-
sociation, annual convention and
trade show.
Conrad Hilton
Hotel, Chicago, IL.
Ralph C. Lally n
Editor and Publisher
4
August, 1977, PLA Y METER