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SoMdNews.com: Counties’ budget pressure bolsters support for slots
Check out this story on SoMdNews.com:
Counties' budget pressure bolsters support for slots
State analysts predict slot machine gambling to bring in about $660
million a year for the treasury. At the same time, the state provides
counties with $635.4 million a year to pay for teacher pensions.
Posted by Web Team on August 07, 2008 at 12:21 PM| Link
Bond Agencies Note Importance of Slots Referendum
The country's top bond-rating agencies are paying close attention to the November slots referendum. As Moody's bond rating report stated on July 11, "Should voters reject the proposal, or if there are delays in [slot machines] coming online, the state will again face significant budget deficits, for which resolution may pose more challenging after the significant efforts to cover the fiscal 2009 budget gap."
Posted by Web Team on July 16, 2008 at 6:45 AM| Link
Schools Feeling the Pinch of Gas Prices Need Financial Support Provided by Slots
It's not just commuters who are feeling the pinch of soaring prices at the pump. It's also our schools. The Sun reports that Maryland school systems have been hit hard by increased costs for bus service and heating and cooling. These costs are a non-negotiable part of providing quality educational facilities to our kids -- but they won't pay for themselves.
Posted by For Maryland Web Team on July 09, 2008 at 10:07 AM| Link
County Fair Holds Both Sides on Slots
This year’s Maryland State Fair will host both pro- and anti-slots information booths this Summer in an effort to promote equal opportunity to discuss this important issue. The State Fair is promoting this equal opportunity even though it stands to gain financially if voters approve the slots referendum – as the Baltimore Sun put it, “through enhanced purses for the horse races that run at the Timonium fairgrounds each summer as well as funds for capital improvements.” That’s the way it should be – an open, respectful discussion based on the facts.
Posted by For Maryland Web Team on June 28, 2008 at 10:10 AM| Link
They Want You to Pay Higher Taxes
If you were given the choice between paying higher taxes and maintaining current tax rates, which would you choose? You wouldn’t choose to raise your taxes would you? In an interview with WMDT-TV, Marylanders United to Stop Slots treasurer Hillary Spence said, "I think people need to tighten their belts or unfortunately raise taxes."
Posted by For Maryland Web Team on May 23, 2008 at 10:07 AM| Link
Welcome Garrett County Chamber of Commerce
We have added another strong voice to our coalition! Garrett County Chamber of Commerce joined the For Maryland For Our Future campaign to support passage of the November Referendum. The Chamber of Commerce supports the November Referendum not only because of the $660 million worth of education funding by 2013, but because the referendum also prevents the so-called “slippery slope” of gaming expansion. The November Referendum requires that any future gambling growth would have to come in the form of another referendum. The November Referendum fixes the budget crisis and makes sure Marylanders will decide the future of gaming in our state.
Posted by For Maryland Web Team on May 20, 2008 at 10:04 AM| Link
Supporters Take to the Tracks
On Saturday, supporters of Maryland slots went out to Pimlico Race Course to make their case. Around 60 people turned out in support of the referendum, passing out 500 shirts expressing the need for slots. Slots will help lower the budget deficit and pay for education and healthcare by generating about $660 million in revenue for the state. Here's what the Associated Press had to say about Saturday’s event:
Posted by For Maryland Web Team on May 18, 2008 at 9:52 AM| Link
Maryland Chamber of Commerce Endorses November Referendum
The Maryland Chamber of Commerce, in an unprecedented move is joining the Maryland Teachers’ Association and Association of Counties in backing the November Referendum. The 2007 special session of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce marked the first time the organization has delivered a proposal on slots and approved the measure. Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kathy Snyder said, "If the state does not get this money, then the General Assembly has to come back in January and cut, which is unlikely, or make new taxes."
Posted by For Maryland Web Team on April 30, 2008 at 9:47 AM| Link
