Md. House Requests $498 Million in Cuts

Vote on Slots Legislation Expected Soon

The Maryland House of Delegates voted overwhelmingly yesterday to direct Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) to cut about $498 million from next fiscal year's budget by slowing planned spending growth on several education, health-care and environmental initiatives.

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In a 103 to 36 vote along party lines in the Democrat-controlled chamber, delegates elected to save about $150 million by scaling back the formula used to fund public schools and to eliminate 750 vacant state jobs. The spending cuts are a key component of O'Malley's plan to eliminate a projected budget shortfall of at least $1.5 billion during a special legislative session.

With yesterday's action, the House prepared to turn its attention to a proposal by O'Malley to hold a public referendum on legalizing slot-machine gambling at five locations in Maryland. House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) said floor votes on the legislation could come as soon as tomorrow, although it appeared yesterday that House leaders were still short of the supermajority they would need to pass the legislation.

Last night, a House subcommittee started hearing amendments to the legislation, which would allow up to 15,000 slot machines in Baltimore and in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties, eventually yielding a projected $650 million a year for the state.

Del. Frank S. Turner (D-Howard), the panel's chairman, told reporters afterward that he continues to believe that a Frederick County location should be added to the bill to provide an alternative for the significant number of Montgomery residents who now travel to Charles Town Races and Slots in West Virginia.

"Frederick is a prime location," said Turner, who was among several delegates to float the idea in a Monday night meeting. He said his panel would continue to weigh amendments to slots legislation today.

Leaders of the House and Senate predicted yesterday that the session, now in its third week, could wrap up as early as this weekend. Both chambers have passed bills that would raise an additional $1.4 billion a year in taxes, although several aspects of the packages differ, including the structure of new income brackets for top earners.

The Senate, which finished its initial work on O'Malley's proposals Friday, has been in recess since then, waiting for the House to catch up.

"The House has many more members than we do in the Senate, and they have many more freshmen than we do," said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert). "The speaker has a much more difficult task than I do. . . . But this whole session could have and should have been over by this week."

House leaders defended the deliberations over what they said were complicated issues.

Del. Norman H. Conway (D-Wicomico), chairman of the House panel that reviewed the spending cuts, said trimming the budget will return "fiscal prudence and social responsibility" to Maryland's state government.

Del. John L. Bohanan Jr. (D-St. Mary's) added: "We can no longer continue to rob Peter to pay Paul to balance the budget. . . . At some point you've got to belly up to the bar and pay your bills."