Onetime Political Foes Come Together in Opposition to Slots

Former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) and Comptroller Peter Fran chot (D), who could best be described as political enemies in Annapolis during Ehrlich's term, appeared yesterday on the ex-governor's weekly radio show on WBAL (1090 AM) to oppose the November slots referendum.

The ex-governor and the former Montgomery County delegate were not on the air together because of a prior commitment of Ehrlich's. But after Franchot talked up the evils of gambling with former first lady Kendel Ehrlich, Ehrlich called in to the show and said the Nov. 4 ballot question is "bad policy. This is not my bill; it's not anywhere close to my bill." The majority of callers to the show, which was largely devoted to the slots issue, bashed the referendum.

In office, Ehrlich failed in several efforts to get the General Assembly to pass legislation legalizing slot-machine gambling, and he says he still supports slots. But he echoed the view of many GOP lawmakers who argue that the proposed amendment to the state constitution would leave no flexibility should lawmakers want to increase or reduce the number of machines. The referendum would allow as many as 15,000 slot machines at five locations.

Ehrlich, though, has not actively campaigned against the ballot question.

Miller on Slots Proposal: 'Not the Greatest Idea'

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), long an ardent supporter of slot-machine gambling, raised some eyebrows last week when he called slots "not the greatest idea in the world" at a forum in Annapolis.

Asked by a resident how slots would benefit Marylanders if out-of-state casinos pocket millions of dollars in gambling revenue, Miller said: "It's not the greatest idea in the world. It's not the means of funding all government," according to published reports.

But he said the state's looming budget shortfall is forcing Maryland either to legalize slots or face tax increases. Miller debated Anne Arundel County Council member Josh J. Cohen (D-Annapolis), a slots opponent, at the Eastport-Annapolis Neck Branch library.

Constellation Sale Prompts Calls for Regulation

The impending sale of Constellation Energy Group has given new hope to foes of electricity deregulation in Maryland.

Since the ailing energy giant announced its quick sale to MidAmerican Energy Holdings, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, state Sens. James C. Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel) and E.J. Pipkin (R-Queen Anne's) have been phoning and e-mailing their colleagues in the General Assembly, the investment industry and the administration of Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) to push their plan that the state should make a return to regulation a condition of state approval of the sale.

"Everybody in Maryland knows that deregulation has been a catastrophe," Rosapepe said between phone calls to pitch the plan. "This is our chance to scrap it and get control over our energy future."

Under their plan, Constellation's new owner would be required to sell 10 Maryland power plants back to Baltimore Gas and Electric, returning their regulation to the Public Service Commission. Then regulators could reimpose lower electricity rates, bringing down prices to pre-deregulation levels, Rosapepe said.

That's a bare-bones outline of a very complex proposal. But Rosapepe said state leaders are listening. The General Assembly considered many measures last winter to return Maryland to regulation, and a majority of the Senate tried in April to block a $2 billion legal settlement with Constellation over power rates, a vote viewed as a largely symbolic gesture of unhappiness with the free-market system.

"My colleagues are pretty sympathetic," Rosapepe said.

Gov. Franchot? Just a Slip Of O'Donnell's Tongue.

At a news conference last week to roll out the House Republican plan to solve Maryland's fiscal problems, House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert) addressed a question about Comptroller Peter Franchot's opposition to slots with a slip of the tongue, calling the Montgomery County Democrat "Governor Franchot."

Asked if the ubiquitous comptroller, who shows many signs of higher ambitions, should be running the state, O'Donnell quickly recovered: "We are as diametrically opposed politically as you can ever get."