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May 9, 2008 8:15 pm US/Eastern
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O'Malley:Slots Referendum Vital To State Budget
WASHINGTON (WJZ) ―
More political positioning is being done in the debate over the November slots referendum.
Pat Warren reports Governor O'Malley says he doesn't want to think about what might happen to the state budget if voters don't approve a measure to put slot machines in Maryland.
O'Malley made the radio roundup in Washington, D.C. at WAMU and at WTOP earlier this week where he was asked about the importance of the slots referendum.
He says passage is vital.
"We did a lot of difficult things. We did a lot of cuts, about $1.8 billion in cuts. We did $1.5 billion in new revenues including the sales tax. But the last remaining piece of restoring fiscal responsibility to our state's budget is this 25 percent of the solution, which is the slots referendum," said O'Malley.
Stop Slots spokesman Scott Arceneaux considers it telling that the Montgomery County Teachers Association has reportedly decided to remain neutral on the referendum.
"We think it shows that the rank and file members of the AFL-CIO, the teachers unions, the business groups are all against slots. We think the more information people get, the more they're going to come out and say this is the wrong direction for Maryland," said Arceneaux.
Anti-slots forces have been successful in stopping slots in the General Assembly, and now they're taking their case to the voters.
Opponents are urging voters to weigh anticipated revenue against social ills.
The Maryland State Teachers Association, the AFL-CIO and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce all support the referendum.
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