STATE UPDATE
BY VALERIE COBftEUICH
Almost every state is besieged with legislative proposals
to regulate amusement machines. Many times a problem
in one state or city may be re-enacted in your area, and
the experiences of other operators may be helpful in y our
fight. Play Meter will regularly f eature this column in
which ordinances and proposals in the various commu-
nities will be listed as well as state associations' activit iRs .
..
C ali fo rni a: In unt Vall ey, the iry
ou ncil un a nim o u ly a ppr ved
roug her "ideo g Jm 6 rdina nce. Thi
ne w Lnv is desig n d ro pre vent lo ire rin
a nd theft. The o il Ia' o nly reg ulated
a rcades. bur g.tme area l o in ro re a nd
re taur.tiH!> .
The law esrabli he permit needed
ro install the ga me . Bu ine es with
fe wer rh.tn . ix ga me will need a n
am usement device p rmir. Th city ' ill
dec ide if pLtce m e nt of the ga m e i
com pJtible with rhe r bu ine e in rhe
.1rea. The permi will cos t 7 5 initi a ll y
.1nd .:? ') when re ne' ed.
Co lo rado : A Monte Vis ta o rdin a nce
requ ir ing a 50 bo nd a nd a li ce n e fee
of 5 per ga me o f bus ines e wirh ideo
game was shelved inde finite ( . iry
uuncilnun Rich a rd
ie lsen as ked ,
·· '\ hat good i thi s 6 rdin a nce? Wh y do
we need ir ? We ' re -e rring up require·
menr fo r u ne rype o f bu ine bur no r
or hers ."
Fl o r id a: In , we rwarer rh e
ir y
ouncil shel ed a pro po al to lega lize
vi<.leo games a nd a ked rhe m ayo r ro
sr.1rr enforcing, n e xi tin la w ba nning
rhe games . One cou ncilwo m a n ga e a
peech denouncing vi deo ' me ,
claiming rh,H " lr l1.1s been proven
beyond •Ill)' doubt rh .H where you h,1ve
10
the e m achine is a n idea l a tmos phe re
fo r de linquency."
A s p ec ta tor a lso ugge red th a t
children wo uld rea l ro uppo rr the ir
vid eo h a bit. Th e m ayo r o rd e re d
m e rcha nt ro re m o ve ga me .
M a achu sett : Th
T a unto n Lice n e
ix -m o nth freeze
o n n ~ video 'a rne lice n e . A H a rva rd
nive r iry docto ral ca nd id a te i do ing a
ru<.l y o n rh e ff cr o f ideo ga m s o n
tee nage r . Whe n thi rudy is comple te,
the commi io ne rs will rev ie w the ir
deci io n .
The ba n wa lifted afre r rhe co m ·
mi io n re vie wed le tte rs rhe ma yo r
o licired fro m the c hie f o f po lic in rwo
co untie . Bo th sa id they 'd h ad n o
pro ble m with a rcade in the ir rown .
New J e r ey : A P a r ippa ny roy ro re
ha filed uir in upe rio r o urr cla iming
a rece nt ro wn hip o rdin a nce limiring
the numb r o f vid eo ga m e i illega l.
The uir ays rhe o rdina nce pas ed in
Dece mbe r ' _ requ ire · each m ac h in ro
ha ve 60 qu a re fee t o f pace a nd s pace
de o red ro ga me ca nnot exceed 30
percenr of rhe coral floo r pace.
Ea t Wind o r-a n a rcade o ra ro r
h a bee n fo rced to dec rea e the number
of hi m ac hine a nd rak .1 cur in ·JIJry
ro pay lice n
fee . The town hip
inre nd ro cha rge I 0 per rna hine for
aile •edl y adding po lice prorecrion . The
a rcade o wne r que ti ns the fai rne of
ch a rg ing a rcade o wner o r added police
p ro tection whe n o rher e mbli · hm nr
like di cos a nd ba rs, location s which
o fte n re ulr in m re e rious police calls,
do no r pay a imil a r ch ar
P n n yl a n ia: Th d irect r of finance
fo r the Mill reek T o wn h ip chool
Di trier i increa ing the ta x on vitleo
•a m e o pe rato r fro m
100 ro 125.
p ra ror have compl ained about the
t a x , bur rh e dire c to r , apparently
kno wing mo re , bo ut th e indu try rh,1n
th o e in it , a id rhe >a m are generat·
ing a lo r o f money a nd rhe rax 1 nor
xces ive.
W e t Virgi n ia : Vo te r in rhe J une
primary will fa ce an iss ue in vo lvi ng
pinball.
ne ca ndidate, ecrerary of
ra t A. J am Manclin , Ius a fondne s
fo r pinball.
na te Pre idenr Warren
M Graw, ey ing Ma nclin as a porenrial
rival. has cha lle n ed M a ncl in' pinball
playing saying he wa brou >ht up to
believe thJr pinbal l m ac hine are wols
o f rhe devil. Ma ncl in believes p inball
~r a way to have a lirrle fun . Good luck
in rhe t·k·crion , l r. Manclin !
•
PLAY MITER. December 1 5. 1983