How can we stop this incessant talk about slots in the

[elshiva]

MD state legislature? Aren't there better ways to get money for our great state?

[nickshepDEM]

1. I wish it would just go away too.

For some reason I think most Maryland residents like the idea. If it does pass this session, Ehrlich will take all the credit and run on this in 2006. I dont see why Duncan came out against it. Thats probably gonna' hurt his chances if he gets the nomination.

[elshiva]

2. What's to like about slots? They are a tax on the

poor. A lot the big corporations pay zero taxes. Yuck! Ehrlich is just your typical corporation loving tax the poor neocon.

[OnBackground]

3. Passed the House

Marc Fisher's column in today's Post is one of the many pieces dissecting the recent passage in the House of Delegates of slots. Some suggest that this is a victory for Speaker Busch, who may have limited gambling or given the Governor and the President of the Senate an unpalatable bill they won't go along with.

While Fisher's take that this is a victory for Ehrlich is interesting, a particular note, well into the column, is worth seeing. He mentions that (according to Del. Peter Franchot), Montgomery County legislators who voted for slots, Jean Cryor, Sheila Hixson, and Henry Heller, might be forced to retire. See which way your delegates voted.

Is this an important issue to you? Would it determine how you vote? I ask because some of the state delegates are in districts (like the 20th of both Franchot and Hixson) that are virtually unassailable by Rs. If there was much of a groundswell from within their own party, though, they might be vulnerable.

What do you think?

[Zuni]

6. not nessecarily

I do not see why people can't play slots if they want to

I mean they'll go to Delaware or Atlantic City anyway if they really want to play

[MissWaverly]

5. Couldn't we have a contest in the sun

100 suggestions to raise money for Baltimore and the state of Maryland.

Like I thought, that since we built the stadiums with taxpayers dollars, why not just have 1 game where the revenue goes back to the city and the state of Maryland. I don't think that's being greedy,
or how about an exhibition performance of Hairspray to benefits the
Baltimore schools? A lot of professional performers did benefits in 2004 for the democrats, why can't we think of fun ways to bring money back to Baltimore. I know you are probably thinking jees what a dumb idea, how about the flush tax, where you have to pay a tax on flushing your toilet, what kind of megawatt idea is that.

[Zuni]

7. I agree

I don't see why Baltimore doesn't come up with more revenue raising ideas

[ptompkins]

4. Devils Advocate

Ok.. let me just toss out the Devils advocate side..

Whats wrong with slots?
We already have the Maryland Lottery, Power Ball, Mega Bucks and all those other games I don't play. You have scratch offs.

Who are we protecting? The citizens from themselves? Are we trying to protect the person that only have $10 in their pocket and three kids and keep them from playing slots? They are more likely to go down to the drug store and buy 10 scratch offs and hope they win an easy $1,000.

Lets look at another side. If we are protecting the citizens from themselves then we should probably stop all alcohol sales. After all, we need to protect the Alcoholics from themselves too.

Honestly, my only problem with introducing slots would have to be government waste of our tax dollars. I'm still unhappy about the Thorton project.

Ok.. enough of devils advocate..

Its too bad slots has come to this, I don't see why we really need them. If you control spending then you don't need the slots. There are other places to go. Vegas, Charles Town, Atlantic City. Let those places have the gamblers..

If you want someone to be upset at with slots we can look at two people. The Gov and Delegate (Dem) Steve Deboy from District 12A. After all, wasn't it Delegate Deboy's name on that document that passed the house?

I was expecting the Gov to be on the side of slots, but not Delegate Deboy.

[Zuni]

8. I'm for slots

I'm not for changing the progressive tax system, or giving tax cuts to the wealthy
But i am for getting rid of this stupid idea that we have to protect everyone from themselves. If people want to gamble, they will---wether they bet on slots here, in delaware or Atlantic City or they play underground poker rooms or go to Pimlico. Or they might be like me and play poker on line