For Ron Wineholt, revenue from slots is a legitimate and proven means for helping pay for the shortfall in state revenue.
But Minor Carter, echoing the sentiments of many anti-slots residents, says they won’t create any good, high-paying jobs, and will encourage gambling’s “corrupting influence.”
Wineholt, vice president of government affairs with the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, faced off against Carter, a member of Stop Slots Maryland, in a forum hosted by the West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce and West County Rotary Club.
Voters will decide the future of slots in the referendum ballot question in November, but for West Anne Arundel, “it’s a very personal issue,” said Claire Louder, executive director of the West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce
“Many of the slots would be in our community,” she said, referring to one of the five proposed slots locations in Laurel Park, a large thoroughbred racetrack in western Anne Arundel.
But Wineholt said, “The largest question we have is how we’re going to deal with funding state government.”
Cutting spending and raising taxes will not help balance the state budget with its looming $1.6 billion deficit, he said.
“If you cut back spending, education will likely take a hit,” Wineholt said, explaining how education makes up about half of the state’s general fund.
Carter said he didn’t dispute the state’s financial problems, but said a wealthy state, such as Maryland, could find a better solution than slots. He didn’t cite a specific solution, but said it was necessary to scrutinize alternatives.
“Slots [revenue] isn’t free money as some say. It’s only free money if you believe that everybody in Maryland has a sock drawer [stashed with money] who think, ‘Oh, thank God, slots are here,’ ” Carter said.
Instead, the money comes at the price of gamblers who may become addicted, he said.
“Gambling has a corrupting influence,” Carter said. “The addicted gambler finds himself out of the business in three to five years, because he can’t afford it, unless he’s very wealthy. That’s why the industry will have to go out and constantly find new people.”
An expansion of slots in Maryland, therefore, would be necessary to capture more consumers.
Wineholt referred to Pennsylvania that was reaping the benefits of about $3 million a day from slots revenue.
“We would have $660 million a year in slots revenues once everything is fully phased in,” he said, citing data gathered by the state Department of Legislative Services when officials researched the funding benefits of slots. “All you have to do is look at other states and see that they do provide significant money.”
Thursday morning’s forum took place at Kaufmann’s Tavern in Gambrills.
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