For the fourth consecutive year, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. will introduce a slots proposal, this time as part of his 20-point legislative package, which includes a military retirement tax credit, medical malpractice legislation and a witness-intimidation bill, aides said yesterday.
Although another defeat of slot machines, the governor's solution to school construction needs, could prove a liability in November's elections, Ehrlich is pushing for a plan anyway, saying competition from neighboring states, notably Pennsylvania, that have legalized slots would cost the state money.
"The governor made a commitment to the citizens of Maryland and our horse racing industry to see this through," said Henry Fawell, an Ehrlich spokesman. "He's not naive about the speaker's unwillingness to negotiate or pass a consensus bill, but this is a commitment the governor made and wants to keep."
The governor's bill would authorize up to 15,500 video lottery terminals at six locations, including Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County, Rosecroft Raceway in Prince George's County and a racetrack to be built in Allegany County. The machines also would be placed in two nonracetrack locations in counties along Interstate 95.
A nine-member commission would determine which facilities would be awarded gambling licenses, based on competitive bids submitted by applicants. Licenses would be valid for 15 years.
With licensing fees costing $3 million for 500 slot machines, about $91 million could be dedicated to the Education Trust Fund, according to the plan.
The bill would also assess a $390 fee per slot machine that would go to a Compulsive Gambling Fund administered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
House Speaker Michael E. Busch, a slots opponent, said yesterday that given the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal - Abramoff pleaded guilty this month to fraud, conspiracy and tax-evasion charges mostly related to promoting gambling interests - he is surprised Ehrlich wants to tackle slots.
"It's like an act of desperation to unjustly enrich four or five people in Maryland," Busch said.
Ehrlich proposed yesterday the creation of an advance-directive registry at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to allow people to file their wishes about end-of-life care. Alan Friedman, a senior policy adviser to the governor, called it "an important step forward and a great benefit to emergency medical providers."
