Montgomery County educators and officials took to a microphone outside the old Rockville courthouse on Thursday to encourage voters to reject a ballot proposal for statewide slot machines.
The gathering, which included State Comptroller Peter Franchot, slammed a pro-slots ad campaign funded in part by “out-of-state gambling executives,” saying the ads have misled the public by promising windfall revenues for schools.
As opposed to reaping the rewards from gambling revenue, the speakers said, teachers and schools would bear the brunt of social burdens like addiction and poverty.
Ken Allen, a teacher at Takoma Park’s Piney Branch Elementary, recounted the story of a former student whose parents brought her on their vacation to Atlantic City. After spending the weekend alone in a hotel room, Allen said, the young girl died of a stomach infection.
“Her parents addictions were a factor in her death,” Allen said.
Proponents of the measure, including the Maryland State Teachers Association, have argued that schools will be beneficiaries of more than $600 million in gambling-derived revenues at a time when state and local revenues are coming up far short of expectations.
“Although this is not the ideal solution, it is the only new, major source of revenue on the table that will protect funding for our public education,” said a statement on the association’s Web site.
Though only three educators attended the mid-school-day rally, Montgomery teachers union President Bonnie Cullison said her 12,000-plus membership is “fairly evenly divided” on the issue. As a result, the union took no position.
Should the closely contested resolution pass on Tuesday, Cullison said, “I worry the money will come but it will supplant existing money,” alluding to rumblings that pro-slots Gov. Martin O’Malley could shift employee pension costs, currently paid for by the state, onto local districts.
Because of its higher-than-average teacher salaries, Montgomery would pay disproportionate costs.
County councilman and former teacher Marc Elrich called the slots resolution “unconscionable.”
And while some have said Montgomery will need to pick up previously state-covered costs should slots fail, Elrich said costs from the state will increase regardless.
“The idea that [opposing slots] will lead to some sort of punishment,” Elrich said, “well, maybe he wants to be a one-term governor. Punishment goes both ways.”
