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Officials Trade Barbs Over Slots
Gov. Martin O'Malley says Franchot is a "hypocrite" for abandoning his earlier support for slot machines.
(Robert A. Reeder - Ftwp)
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The back-and-forth between the two separately elected Democratic officials largely overshadowed the gathering by Marylanders United to Stop Slots that was billed as the formal launch of the group's effort to defeat the referendum.
Voters will be asked whether the state should legalize as many as 15,000 slot machines at five racetracks and at other locations in Baltimore and in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties.
Franchot is among about 100 steering committee members whose names were released yesterday by the anti-slots group. Others include community, business and labor leaders, clergy and other elected officials.
Other speakers at yesterday's event presented varied arguments for why slots should be defeated.
Marvin L. Cheatham Sr., president of the Baltimore NAACP, predicted that slots would increase gambling addiction and prostitution.
Bishop John R. Schol of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church cast the debate in religious terms, saying, "Slots are not of God."
Before the event, O'Malley questioned where slots opponents would get the "important dollars" that slots are expected to generate.
Asked by a reporter how he would replace the revenue if the referendum is defeated, Franchot offered no specifics. He said the state should be nurturing the life sciences sector, industries that would presumably contribute more to the tax base upon its growth.
