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Up Front
Front
Up
The Washington
Washington Connection
Connection
The
F
F
ollowing on
on the
the heels
heels of
of its
its successful
successful
ollowing
predecessor,
the
first
AMOA
Government
Affairs
predecessor, the first AMOA Government Affairs
Conference
of
1986,
this
year's
event
recorded
Conference of 1986, this year's event recorded
even better
better attendance
attendance and
and subsequently
subsequently further
further
even
cemented
a
line
of
communication
between
our
cemented a line of communication between our
industry
and
the
powers
that
be
in
national
government.
industry and the powers that be in national government.
Statistics for
for 1987
1987 surpassed
surpassed those
those of
of 1986,
1986, indicating
indicating
Statistics
an
increased
awareness
of
the
occasion's
value
by
an increased awareness of the occasion's value by
members
of
the
amusement
community.
Last
year
John
members of the amusement community. Last year John
Estridge, a a past
past AMOA
AMOA president,
president, summed
summed up
up the
the purpose
purpose
Estridge,
of
the
conference
when
he
said,
"Our
main
objective
of the conference when he said, "Our main objective
was to to establish
establish contacts
contacts and
and learn
learn our
our way
way around.
around.
was
In
the
past
we
have
often
reacted
to
legislation
instead
In the past we have often reacted to legislation instead
of
being
in
a
positive
posture
...
once
you
have
your
of being in a positive posture ... once you have your
organization
in
place
you
are
better
able
to
influence
organization in place you are better able to influence
changes in in laws
laws at at a a national
national level."
level." Now
Now that
that our
our presence
presence
changes
has
been
felt
nationally,
let
us
continue
to
increase
our
has been felt nationally, let us continue to increase our
representation
every
year
and
carry
this
awareness
and
representation every year and carry this awareness and
educational activity
activity out
out on
on the
the local
local level
level as as well.
well.
educational
The
benefits
of
making
our
industry's
feelings
felt
The benefits of making our industry's feelings felt
on
legislation
affecting
our
wallets
has
been
brought
on legislation affecting our wallets has been brought
home most
most recently
recently with
with the
the situation
situation in in Arizona
Arizona where
where
home
the
state
legislature
passed
a
new
law
redefining
the state legislature passed a new law redefining
"amusement gambling"
gambling" and
and "gambling".
"gambling". At At first
first
"amusement
considered
a
threat
to
video
and
pinball
operation
as
considered a threat to video and pinball operation as
well
as
other
equipment,
it
has
now
been
established
well as other equipment, it has now been established
by the
the office
office of of the
the attorney
attorney general
general of
of Arizona
Arizona that
that
by
the
law
affects
cranes,
rotary
merchandisers,
and
the law affects cranes, rotary merchandisers, and
Skee-Ball units
units since
since these
these offer
offer the
the lure
lure of of a a prize.
prize.
Skee-Ball
One
Arizona
operator
said
his
business
would
be
severely
One Arizona operator said his business would be severely
crippled by
by this
this legislation
legislation as as Skee-Ball
Skee-Ball units
units represent
represent
crippled
the
major
portion
of
his
amusement
investment.
the major portion of his amusement investment.
Operators who
who added
added cranes
cranes to to their
their inventories
inventories because
because
Operators
locations
were
asking
for
them
may
be
left
with
a
surplus
locations were asking for them may be left with a surplus
of
equipment
not
saleable
in
their
area.
of equipment not saleable in their area.
How difficult
difficult will
will it it be
be to to rescind
rescind this
this law?
law? Certainly
Certainly
How
more
time
consuming
and
costly
than
preventive
more time consuming and costly than preventive
measures. The
The wheels
wheels are
are now
now set
set in in motion,
motion, with
with
measures.
attorneys
feverishly
trying
to
stop
implementation
attorneys feverishly trying to stop implementation of of
PLAY METER/ June 1987
8 8 PLAY
METER/June 1987
the law
law (due
(due July
July 19).
19). Here
Here our
our industry
industry is is in in a a negative
negative
the
posture,
fighting
after
the
fact;
assuming
a
defensive
posture, fighting after the fact; assuming a defensive
position instead
instead of
of taking
taking the
the lead
lead and
and establishing
establishing a a
position
positive
one
by
making
our
presence
known
on a a local
local
positive one by making our presence known on
level.
A
state
association
not
very
active
for
the
last
two
level. A state association not very active for the last two
years is is now
now becoming
becoming more
more active
active and
and its its list
list of of members
members
years
is
increasing.
Vigilance
will probably now become the
is increasing. Vigilance will probably now become the
watchword.
watchword.
lesson to to be be learned
learned in in every
every state.
state. Take
Take preventive
preventive
It's a a lesson
It's
action.
Strong
operator
representation
on
a
local
action. Strong operator representation on a local
government
level
needs
to
be
a
top
priority.
Laws
adversely
government level needs to be a top priority. Laws adversely
affecting
our
business
in
one
state
could
set
a
precedent
affecting our business in one state could set a precedent
others. None
None of of us us are
are immune.
immune. State
State associations
associations and
and
in in others.
operators
must
become
more
politically
astute.
Help
local
operators must become more politically astute. Help local
politicians running
running for
for office
office so so you
you have
have a a friendly
friendly ear
ear
politicians
when
legislation
is
proposed
against
your
business.
when legislation is proposed against your business.
Of late,
late, operators
operators with
with cigarette
cigarette vending
vending equipment
equipment
Of
have
had
to
fight
proposed
legislation
in
some
cities,
have had to fight proposed legislation in some cities,
for
example
in
Topeka,
Kan.,
where
attempts
were
made
for example in Topeka, Kan., where attempts were made
in
1986
to
ban
the
sale
of
cigarettes
from
vending
machines
in 1986 to ban the sale of cigarettes from vending machines
based on
on the
the erroneous
erroneous assumption
assumption that
that teenagers
teenagers buy
buy
based
cigarettes
from
those
machines.
Action
had
to
be
taken
cigarettes from those machines. Action had to be taken
on a a local
local level
level to to inform
inform officials
officials of of the
the true
true facts
facts and
and
on
block
passage
of
legislation
detrimental
to
Kansas
block passage of legislation detrimental to Kansas
operators.
operators.
The Washington
Washington Conference,
Conference, supported
supported by
by active
active state
state
The
associations
and
individual
operators
keeping
abreast
of
associations and individual operators keeping abreast of
proposed legislation in their areas, can do much to remedy
proposed legislation in their areas, can do much to remedy
gaps that exist between our industry and government.
gaps that exist between our industry and government.
Bonnie Theard
Bonnie Theard
Theard
Bonnie
Managing Editor
Managing Editor