3 years ago
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A bill to legalize slot machine gambling in Maryland will seek to solve the long-contentious issue in a referendum, House Speaker Michael Busch told reporters Friday after being apprised of details in the measure proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley.
Busch, who has been opposed to many previous slot machine proposals in the Maryland legislature, also said he would support a referendum, which would put the matter on the ballot in November 2008.
"I haven't seen the specific details, but I think a significant issue is that the governor is putting together a referendum bill, and I think he's worked off of a lot of the history of what's taken place over the last five years," Busch, D-Anne Arundel said.
Busch also mentioned five possible locations for slot machines. They were Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort near Cumberland, Laurel, the Berlin area on the Eastern Shore, a site in either Baltimore City or the suburbs in Baltimore County and a ocation in either Cecil or Harford County. Rick Abbruzzese, a spokesman for the governor, declined to comment.
The bill will be considered in a special session, which is scheduled to begin Monday. O'Malley called the special session to address a $1.7 billion structural deficit.
Busch said he would support a referendum because he believes it would force lawmakers and O'Malley to "put the best product on the ballot." He also said there was precedent to establish gambling in Maryland with the referendum on the lottery in 1972. Busch said he believed that "sets the course for why this should go to the general public."
"It also is unique in Maryland law that you can't petition a bill with fiscal implications to referendum, so the general public doesn't have an opportunity to petition it to referendum," Busch said.
Even opponents of slots, Busch said, can support giving their constituents a chance to vote on it.
"So I think that all and all, it will help bring a resolution to this," Busch said, "and I think it will also be beneficial for the General Assembly to be able to focus on the rest of the governor's financial package that will be in front of us," Busch said.
The main components of O'Malley's budget plan include: increasing the sales tax from 5 to 6% raising taxes for 3.7%of Maryland's wealthiest residents, boosting the corporate income tax from 7 to 8% closing corporate loopholes in the tax code, raising the tobacco tax by $1, cutting budgets in various state agencies and delaying an interest increase for the Thornton school funding program.
