Automatic Merchandising Council v. Township of Edison

This is a class action brought in behalf of owners and operators of vending machines located in Edison Township challenging the validity of township ordinance no. 0.38-81 adopted November 12, 1981 which imposed a licensing fee of $40 annually upon each such machine. The trial judge held the ordinance invalid because the annual licensing fee of $40 was arbitrary and unreasonable and greatly exceeded the costs of regulation and any additional revenue factor reasonably or incidentally related to such regulatory costs. He held the ordinance invalid only to the extent the annual fee for each…