CHANGE MY LOCATION
Politics
Examiners
Right Side Politics Examiner
Most Recent Post
CNN's Lou Dobbs blames financial crisis on The Democrats and ACORN
California News
Multimedia News
Slots return quietly to Annapolis
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: Annapolis
)
Rosie Napravnik, No. 4, rides June 3 at Pimlico Race Course. The race industry says slots will keep the sport alive.
Annapolis (Map, News) - No rally, no protests. Slots returned to Annapolis Tuesday with little to no fanfare.
The Senate Budget and Taxation hearing room actually had empty seats in the gallery for the bill’s hearing, compared with previous years when witnesses spilled out into the hallway.
And Tuesday’s session likely will be the most the Legislature will debate about the issue during this 90-day session.
“Joe Bryce [legislative adviser for Gov. Martin O’Malley] from the governor’s office was sitting in the front row taking notes, and if the governor says to pull the trigger, we’ll pull the trigger and move forward,” said Senate President Thomas Mike Miller, the slots’ biggest cheerleader in the General Assembly and the sponsor of this year’s major gambling bill.
Miller, who has pushed slots bills through his chamber for three of the last four years, said he introduced a bill this year for the sake of “keeping the dialogue going.” Miller has said repeatedly that slots will be part of the ultimate solution to the state’s looming fiscal woes, in addition to tax increases and cuts.
“This is not about myself, or the speaker or the governor,” he said. “It’s about the financial situation of the state.”
The proposal would legalize up to 15,500 video slot machines at up to seven locations throughout the state and would bring in an estimated $800 million annually for an education trust fund to pay for ongoing education initiatives and $150 million annually for school construction.
The bill also would set aside an estimated $95 million for purse funds, money the horse racing industry said Tuesday it desperately needed to avoid further cuts to the number of racing days.
“After all the cuts we’ve made, it’s all over now,” said Alan Foreman, general counsel for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “At the end of 2007, we’re out of money. We are on the edge of a cliff. ... Racing will come to an end as we know it this year.”
stracy@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:04 PM MST on Wed., May. 28, 2008 re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
7:18 AM MST on Fri., May. 16, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
7:04 AM MST on Fri., May. 16, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
5:39 PM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
1:37 PM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
7:48 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
7:36 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
7:01 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
6:56 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
6:38 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
6:28 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
4:56 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
HEY, OMALLEY!! WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR THE BAR OWNER AND VETERANS ORGANIZATION NEXT!!!! IF IT IS PUTTING THEM OUT OF BUSINESS YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY!! I think you should be more worried about the crime in the state. You have taken these peoples machines, you have banned smoking in your state you have hurt the honest working person right in there pocket. I think you need to get your priorities straight. I THINK ALL OF THE BAR OWNERS IN THE STATE SHOULD NOT SELL YOUR LOTTERY TICKETS AND SEE HOW THE STATE WOULD FEEL TO LOSE THAT MONEY. Maybe the state could feel the crunch in there pocketbook just like us working class has. Wake up OMalley and take a look around at what you are doing.
5 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Pick 3, 4 (twice a day) & keno, scratch offs, Mega millions, match 5, multi-match, Race trax game, & Maryland Hold'em. We have Opposition to Slots? Maryland is not a gambling state? I see in this case that the state wasn't getting its slice of these illegal machines. They needed to go. Now they'll charge the owners of the machines, fine them and possible go after them for tax evasion. What a croc!! I'd like to see that crime stats for people getting killed at these machines versus a dice game on the corner or poker game between "associates". The only reson these machines are really illegal is because Maryland doesn't get a part of the take. Maryland lottery seems to come up the similar games they control. Our horse racing industry was in trouble, what did they do? Came up with Virtual Race-trax (computer animated horse racing). Thats why I'm leaving this state it simply just makes me sick from all the hypocrisy.
7 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
You can drink it if the state collected taxes on it. You can smoke it if the state collected taxes on it. You can gamble if it's state sponsored and pay taxes on your winnings. Don't pay the state, it's illegal! Welcome to the nanny state soon to be the nanny nation. Maybe the Gov should be Obama's VP. Two empty suits are better than one.
11 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
This is great, a major crime bust has occured!!! These fiendish horrible threats to society have been rounded up and taken away!! Now I can sleep in peace knowing that I am safe from a MACHINE!!! forget the fact that gangs roam our neighborhoods at all hours, stealing everything or destroying it, spray painting their gang tags on and wall or surface they can find, robbing, mugging, killing at will, how about these Police who set to get the only pay raise from Baltimore Co. put some of that man power used to investigate and round up these gaming machines, do the same and get the thugs off the streets, or is that to much to ask?? maybe because a machine won't put up a fight but these thugs will!! I can't believe of all the wasted time spent to do this...
9 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Who cares? The law is the law. If they break it they should be penalized. I wonder if they raided the machines at the FOP Headquarters?
5 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Neil said:
It is obviously related to legalizing slots. They want their tax money. Need to get rid of the under the table stuff.
5 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
looks like another O'Malley plot to scare people into voting for the slots bill in November. It won't work Martin.
7 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
It's ok for the church to gamble on spaghetti night but a man that fights for his country has no right to gamble. Political....you got it. We have idiots for polititians in this state.
7 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Talk about misplaced priorities !! War on Drugs, War on Crime, War on Fraternal Organizations. Who really sets the direction of this attack?
9 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Parkville Resident said:
Bravo! Thank you police. From a resident that has had to endure the sloppy drunks and other low life behavior types that have frequented the old "Let's Play on Harford Road at all hours of the night. If you haven't nailed them yet, please put them on your list. To Bill and Hamilton Neighborhood, you don't have a clue what you are talking about unless you have experienced one of these illegal gambling parlors in your own backyard. They don't attract boy scouts. Thank you police, keep up the good work in Parkville!
5 agree | 7 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Bill said:
I agree with HN: I'm so glad all violent crime, and drunk/reckless driving has been reduced to the point where all that's left is to raid the places enjoyed by our veterans.
8 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Hamilton Neighborhood said:
What a waste of our tax dollars while criminals and drug dealers continue to roam the streets...
8 agree | 6 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree