Legislature Not Interested in Slot Machines

No matter how many ways the Maryland legislature lets it be known that they are not interested in slot machine legalization, every year someone brings up a bill doing just that. This year Delegate Galen Clagett has introduced a bill that would allow slot machines at the state’s racetracks. He says it is more important this year than any other year to legalize the slot machines because of the huge deficit in the state budget.

Clagett’s bill would allow over 12,000 slot machines to come into the state at the racetracks, with the proceeds going to the schools. They estimate that the tax from the slot machine revenue would be somewhere around $500 million a year. He says slot machines could fill the gap that has been steadily increasing in the budget between spending and earning.

The Governor has other ideas – saying that he doesn’t think this is the year to legalize slot machines, and that there are other ways to increase revenue. He says there are “revenue enhancement” plans that he is looking at, but to many that means increasing taxes – and they would rather see slot machines legalized than taxes raised.

House Speaker Michael Busch, Senate President Miller, these are people who do not want to see slot machines legalized this year. Miller is pro-slot machine, and he doesn’t want to legalize them this year, but that doesn’t stop the large population of people who live in Maryland who do want them legalized.

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