Maryland lawmakers gave final approval last night to a referendum on slot machine gambling, sending to voters an issue that has bitterly divided politicians in Annapolis for years.
On a frenzied day of legislating three weeks into a tumultuous special session called by Gov. Martin O'Malley to close the state's projected $1.7 billion budget gap, the Senate approved the referendum as it juggled measures related to taxes, health care and the environment.
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said after the vote that the only way the General Assembly could move forward with slots is through a referendum - and he faulted Republicans for "not participating" in the legislation.
"If they had sat at the table and voted the way they did last year and the year before and the year before that, we would not need a referendum. But by them walking away, we had to go to a referendum," the southern Maryland Democrat said.
Because the bill called for a referendum that would amend the Maryland Constitution, it does not require approval from the governor - who supported the measure. In the same contest that will decide the country's next president in November 2008, voters will decide whether to allow 15,000 slot machines in five locations throughout the state: one each in Baltimore City and Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties.
"We've got a lot of great allies, and we intend to run an extremely vigorous campaign," said Aaron Meisner, an investment adviser and coordinating chairman of StopSlots Maryland, who vowed to defeat the referendum. "The beauty of this is that there is no grass-roots slots lobby, and there never has been. We can have a meeting in every church basement in the state of Maryland."
The Senate also voted 25-19 last night to approve a bill that lays out the nuts and bolts of a slots program, such as the division of revenue and the procedure for granting slots licenses.
Although O'Malley once described legalized gambling as a "morally bankrupt" way to fund education, he campaigned last year on "limited slots" to help the state's struggling racetracks.
This fall, however, O'Malley announced his support for a much more expansive plan. The measure would allow slots at Laurel Park in Anne Arundel and Ocean Downs in Worcester, but not at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course.
