Slots or no slots — that will be the choice on next year?s ballot at the same time Marylanders will also be choosing the next U.S. president.
For the first time in five yearsof trying to pass slots legislation to help pay for education, the Maryland House and Senate have both agreed to the same legislation, sending one part to the voters and the other to the governor.
By a 31-to-13 tally, the Senate took final action late Sunday night approving the constitutional amendment for voters to decide on setting up 15,000 slot machines at five specific locations. The senators in a 25-to-19 vote also sent to the governor legislation spelling out how the slots licenses would be awarded, how they would operate and how the $1.3 billion in net proceeds they would generate by 2013 would be split up.
The Senate agreed to accept all the changes made to Gov. Martin O?Malley?s slots proposal by the House. But the governor got most of what he had proposed four weeks ago, his plan itself a compromise designed to win enough votes for passage.
Any further expansion of gaming would also have to be authorized by voters.
There were repeated attempts by mostly Republican senators to amend the slots legislation, but they were repeatedly rejected so the Senate could pass the measures quickly in the same form sent to them by the House. The rejected amendments would have increased local control, restricted campaign contributions from the gaming industry, and set up free market auctions for the licenses, rather than giving them to the designated sites.
“We?re on a train here that?s pulling out of the station,” said Senate Republican Leader David Brinkley of Frederick County. “We despise that.”
Minority Whip Allan Kittleman, R-Howard-Carroll, said, “I?m not opposed to slot machines in Maryland, but I am opposed to putting the locations in the constitution.”
“We?re rushing through this,” Kittleman complained.
Even a slots supporter, Dundalk Sen. Norman Stone, said he was unhappy with the measures, “but this is all we have.”
Sen. Mike Lennett, D-Montgomery, said, “I?m opposed to slots” but he planned to vote for both bills to give his constituents a choice. But he said he planned to vote against the slots plan on the 2008 ballot, and would urge his constituents to do the same.
Final Slots Plan
Here is the slot machine proposal approved by the General Assembly during the past few days. If voters approve, the legislation would allow15,000 video lottery terminals at five locations.
? 4,750 in Anne Arundel County within two miles of Route 295; Laurel Park racetrack qualifies.
? 3,750 in Baltimore City on city-owned land in non-residential area within a half-mile of I-95 and Md. Route 295.
? 2,500 in Worcester County (near Ocean City) within a mile of the intersection of Routes 50 and 589; Ocean Downs Racetrack qualifies.
? 2,500 in Cecil County within two miles of I-95.
? 1,500 at state-owned Rocky Gap Lodge on I-68 in Allegany County.
Estimated Slots Money in 2013: Where It Go
Total wagered: $10 billion
Payout: 87 percent of money wagered will go back to bettors, who may not be under 21 or drunk. Bettors will be allowed no free food or drink at slots parlors, they won?t be allowed to cash their paychecks.
Net proceeds: $1.3 billion
Revenue split:
? Half the net revenues go to Education Trust Fund for Thornton school aid and construction of schools and buildings at colleges and universities: $660 million
? A third goes to to slots licensees (operators): $449 million
? Up to $95 million goes for horse racing purses and horse breeders.
? Up to $40 million goes to Racetrack Renewal Fund; some of that must be used to improve quality and marketing of horse racing.
? 5.5 percent goes to aidjurisdictions where slots are located:$75 million
? 1.5 percent goes to support capital and loans to minority- and women-owned businesses.
? $27 million operations of the Lottery Commission, which will actually own the video lottery terminals as slots are called.
Preakness: To get racetrack renewal money, the Preakness must stay at Pimlico, or some other Maryland location.
Compulsive Gambling: $6 million fund for compulsive gamblers.
