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FAVA, FAA meet in Tallahassee Will it be a master license plan or a flat fee plan to replace the despised 7.81 percent gross receipts tax in Florida? Representatives from the Florida Amusement and Vending Association (FAVA) and the Family Arcade Alliance CFAA) met in Tallahassee on March 4 to discuss which course of action might be more palatable to the state legislature. The FAVA side consisted of Steve Piantieri, Manley Lawson, Bill Miller, and Ken Starling. There on the FAA's behalf were Scott Neslund, Richard Salem, and Richard Greco, the former mayor of Tampa. Greco represents the DeBartoloowned Fun 'N Games arcade chain, which has over 20 game rooms in Florida. Edward DeBartolo is considered to wield the most influence in the alliance. Joining the two factions at the meeting was Jose Diez-Arguellas, staff director of the House Finance and Tax Committee. The representatives agreed to submit a bill that calls for a master license plan similar to what exists in Georgia, but with modifications. Machine owners (the term for "operator" in Florida) would pay $250 for each of the first 10 machines and $15 each thereafter. The backup plan calls for a flat $45 per machine license fee. Piantieri, the president of FAVA, says some legislators have indicated a preference for the master license plan, while others prefer the flat fee because they perceive it to be fairer for the "little guy." "This isn't a situation of the big guys vs. the little guys, with us trying to force the master license plan down their throats," Piantieri said. " The primary thing it does is get rid of the gross receipts tax, which no one can stand. Since it went into effect in July 1992, 20 percent of the game rooms in Florida have gone out of business. "Second, we all agree that the state needs money. Let's give them a plan that's self-regulating. Everyone would have to get a master license, and the other license-holders would know about unlicensed machines way before the Department of Revenue conducts an audit. Machine owners would be able to contact the department to report unlicensed machines, so that everyone pays their fair share. Having a relatively high license fee would give the department more incentive to collect the money. Under the flat fee arrangement, why go after a guy with three machines-to collect $135? It's not worth it." A master license plan also targets the "cherry pickers," Piantieri says, referring to those machine owners who only buy a handful of highearning pieces. "Studies show that the smaller the number of machines a machine owner has, the larger his per machine average is," he said. "A cherry picker will typically buy a few pool tables, make good money, but not bother with equipment fees because he figures he's so small, who's going to bother him? But if we tie the master license plan to a relatively high license fee for the first few machines, i.e., pool tables, which corresponds to the relatively high income for those machines, then the fee is appropriate for the income the machines generate." A bill calling for a flat fee will only be introduced if the master license bill doesn 't muster enough votes. But each of them would replace the gross receipts tax. The legislature was to be in session until late March. Bouncing Bandit certified The New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs/Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission recently certified the Bouncing Bandit redemption game by new manufacturer Amutronics Inc. of Asbury Park, N.J . State certification is needed in New Jersey before games can be operated as redemption games in the state's many amusement arcades. Bouncing Bandit is a bouncing ball game that challenges players to obtain winning symbol combinations. Arizona to ban casinos The Arizona House passed a statewide casino gambling ban on March 4, giving Gov. Fife Symington the legal ammunition he wanted to fight the spread oflndian gaming. The legislation would ban all casino-type gambling in Arizona, including PLAY METER charity "casino nights." "What we're talking about here is protecting Arizona and our quality of life and balancing that with the needs of the tribes," Symington said. This is the latest example of backlash against the federal Indian Garn- 14 APRIL 1993 ing Regulatory Act , which has spurred plans for large casinos on Indian reservations in several states. Over a dozen lawsuits have been filed challenging the law.