The Maryland Taxpayers Association (MTA) announced its strong opposition to a Constitutional Amendment legalizing slot machine gambling at a press conference in Annapolis today.
MTA President Herb McMillan reminded fiscal conservatives that, “Maryland can’t tax and gamble its way to prosperity, or spend itself out of a deficit. Excessive spending and higher taxes are the root causes of Maryland’s economic problems. Slots will not solve these problems. Slots will simply add fuel to the government’s spending fire, while pulling 1.4 billion away from existing Maryland businesses. Slots, like tax increases, hurt small businesses, kill jobs, and weaken our economy. It’s time for government to tighten its belt and live within its means, just like we do.”
MTA Chairman Dee Hodges added that, “Taxpayers cannot trust Governor O’Malley with their money. Within one year, Governor O’Malley and his spendthrift friends in the General Assembly blew a billion dollar surplus, pushed through the largest tax hike in Maryland history, and then increased state spending by a billion dollars. Now we have yet another billion dollar deficit. Money burns a hole in Governor O’Malley’s pocket, and fiscal conservatives shouldn’t enable his spending addiction.”
Mr. McMillan pointed out that, “Despite his claims to the contrary, Governor O’Malley hasn’t cut any spending. State spending increased by one billion last year. Governor O’Malley isn’t using higher taxes and slots to avoid spending cuts. He’s using them to increase spending and expand government entitlement programs.”
In closing, Mr. McMillan called on fiscally conservative Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to unite against slots. “For years, fiscal conservatives were divided over slots, but Governor O’Malley has radically changed the terms of the debate. Slots and cuts instead of higher taxes were arguably the lesser of two evils. Slots after a record tax and spending increase are just an additional evil.”
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13 comments:
What is Dr. Harris' position on slots - how has he voted on it in the MD legislature?
I'm voting NO because Mighty Martin wants the slots. The Democrats wouldn't give them a thought when Ehrlich was in office and so now this needs to fail on their watch.
I agree whole heartedly with Anon 8:09pm. This has got to fail as it will only increase the wasteful spending of the dumbocraps.
One of their continuing arguments against slots are all the gambling addicts it will "create".Bullcrap.
I have news for them-we already HAVE gambling addicts,walk into any store that sells Lotto on payday and see people plunking down $20 or more on tickets and you KNOW they really cant afford it.Whose fault is it if they cannot control their gambling impulses?Right-its their problem.
Well I like slots and I'm voting for them - rather for the money to stay in MD than going to DE, PA or NJ all the time.
My real objection to the slots in this form is the mandating of locations. If you want slots, fine. But let the counties decide if they want a facility or not (and where they want it)
It's just too fishy for major campaign contributors of the leadership and governor to have their places of business written into the Maryland CONSTITUTION as the ONLY legal places for gambling.
vote no.
"I'm voting NO because Mighty Martin wants the slots. The Democrats wouldn't give them a thought when Ehrlich was in office and so now this needs to fail on their watch."
Yes, and Marty will just P*ss it up a wall too. Give the boy less money, he'll be forced to spend less.
when states have to fall back onto legalized gambling in order not to raise taxes to support themselves it really shows you how bad a job the politicians have done. its a reflection of the society we have created.
Slots, keno, and lotto are played mostly by a segment of the population that benifit from our taxes instead of being conributors to the tax base. I feel that its a 'round about way of collecting taxes from people who live off the "system". Yes, I know there are exceptions but observe the next time you find yourself near one of those machines. Bring on the slots!
"Benefit" would be the proper spelling
bring on the slots. its bout the only way to hit it big up in here. sure not gone to make it on 6 dolars a hour
Forget slots, let's bring out the big topic of the day.
How did the King of Spend, Mr. Money Redistrabution, Big Government O'Malley put our state into such a defacit? How was he able to raise our sales tax 1%, when we already are one of the highest taxed states in the union, without a wimper from the peeps?
This guy is a prime example of what we'll get if Nobama is elected. It isn't working in maryland, and it won't work for the country.
Let's work hard to take back this state. Rescue the hard working people from big government. Let's put a rebuplican back in charge, after all, he left a huge surplus that O'malley wiped out in 9 months. Guess who wants slots now? Yep the same people who were admittaly against them. People that are more concerned with winning a contest, than looking out for the good people they represent have no business running our government. The devil will come at you promising anything you want to hear. He comes with the biggest smile. He promises that he, and he alone can solve all your problems. But when he gets on your side, watch out! You'll never see the knife that cuts out everything good in your life. You'll be enslaved to him and live in fear and poverty all the rest of your life.
Please elect some one who stands on principles. Who doesn't want to raise your taxes and take everything you work so hard for in order to give it to someone who doesn't.
I hate to say it but Anon 8:05 is kinda right.Walk into any store with a "keno parlor" and you will see the same people sitting there for hours playing keno and those fake horse race games.Can't work if you gamble all day long!
Nevertheless I support slots as long as each individual county has some say in where they go.Private clubs already have themn,so why not bars?
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