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Tuesday, October 02, 2012

“Raising Awareness On Question 7”



(Snow Hill) Delegate Mike McDermott appeared today before the Worcester County Commissioners to provide a detailed briefing on what Ballot Question 7 will mean to Worcester County and the lower shore if it is approved by voters in November. The Delegate started off by stating, “Question 7 is about the business of gaming in Maryland and not the issue of gambling.”

Delegate McDermott stated, “Worcester County alone stands to gain millions in additional revenue that is currently being sent to Baltimore City and Prince Georges County”. As part of the deal that Delegate McDermott helped broker, the local impact money that is currently being sent across the bridge due to the original agreement will remain in Worcester County as soon as the other casinos come on line. “A vote for Question 7 is a vote to keep millions of dollars on the shore instead of sending it off to Baltimore City and Prince Georges County, and who on the Eastern Shore would oppose that?”

The Eastern Shore will also benefit from hundreds of new jobs created by the two shore locations when table games are allowed. These added opportunities will insure that Maryland remains competititve with surrounding states in the region.

The bill also allows for Veteran’s support organizations to operate non-profit slot machines with the proceeds being directed to helping Maryland veterans. “Maryland State government has labored in trying to keep up with the needs of our military veterans. This bill represents a significant boost to these organizations and will allow them to meet needs that currently go unmet throughout our state” said Delegate McDermott.

The Delegate went on to say, “It is impossible to overlook the thousands of jobs that will be created if Question 7 is adopted. Couple that with a dedicated $300 million school construction fund and you have a win-win for Marylanders during some very challenging economic times”.

The Delegate noted that the principle opposition to the expanded gaming in Maryland is coming from the surrounding states with casinos who want Marylanders to keep coming to their establishments. “When West Virginia and Delaware tell you Question 7 is a bad idea for Maryland, you certainly must consider their motivation and the hundreds of millions that they stand to lose if Marylanders keep their money in state”, stated Delegate McDermott.

18 comments:

mack said...

I AM sick and tired of hearing how much money this will bring to the state and schools and help the kids...GET the facts .. it will hurt MANY more kids as the parents will be gambling housing money / food money / clothing money and lunch money away in hopes of the BIG WIN that will NEVER happen. IF you want to see the truth of how casino's hurts a area. Just go to atlanta city n.j. and look at the area outside of the casino area and all you see is slums. SO GET THE REAL FACTS AND VOTE "NO" and save THOUSANDS OF KIDS that will be hurt by expanded gambling and how much MONEY is ever enough for these fools in ANNAPOLIS to waste year after year and schools still hurting. Police / Firefighters still underpaid. LETS unmask the truth and see where all the MONEY this state has made so far from gambling and see PROOF where it is now and how is it helping the state to offset the harm it is doing to many more kids.

Anonymous said...

Exactly..8:51 another smoke and mirrors it for the kids and better for the community gamimg BS!!! Funds will be squandered and wasted and used as general slush fund ...another lick and promise yeh sure...Mike do us a favor and fight to keep the revenue we do generate here some other way..Let them fund and swim in there own cesspool. NO NO NO to all 3 issues on the Ballot...Thank god O idiot aint running again

Daddio said...

Back in the 1970s, when the first lottery was approved in Maryland, they promised us that the proceeds would benefit "education" ...

Once the $$$ started flowing in, much of it was diverted to things like the "stadium authority" and such.

Now they are back to the original promises of education (school construction fund?) and such.

I get tired of the same-o broken promises being made to fit those agendas ...

Anonymous said...

Vote AGAINST.

Anonymous said...

"They" also say that audits will keep the money going where it belongs....absolutely correct - the law does not "require" the money to go anywhere....all the audit will do is to certify compliance with the law as written...more smoke and mirrors!

Anonymous said...

Hey Mike if you get SCHOOL VOUCHERS on the ballot I will vote YES for it. I fell for this line in VA and the first time MD. When I see the lottery commision paying for Tolls I'll never fall for "its for the kids line again"

Anonymous said...

8:51/Mack You hit the nail on the head!

Anonymous said...

Vote NO on 7...

mack said...

WOW at last it seems everyone agree's with me on a issue ?? Only wish Marylanders would wake up on ALL THE ISSUES and see them as they are and start FRESH and COMPLETE in the next election as I have lost HOPE and now I want CHANGE. A complete CHANGE. And have you ever noticed when they talk about gambling. All you hear is the so called positve effects and NEVER the down side to it ???? WHY IS THAT "MIKE" Talk to your people and explain why we never hear the negative effects of gambling to the people and KIDS??

Anonymous said...

I'm voting against it. Does Maryland even have a revenue problem or is it really a spending problem?

Anonymous said...

I will be also voting against question 7.
Sorry Mike. I do like you and what you have done, but you are wrong on this.

Anonymous said...

6:39 - Maryland has a spending problem...it's called OweMalley. Contributing to this problem is a significant portion of the electorate Annapaholes.

Daddio said...

Some additional thoughts:

Back in the mid-20th century, they had gambling slot machines in MD in Charles county.

They were done away with in 1968. Why do you suppose that happened? If the money was flowing in (and it certainly was), why would they have outlawed them over 40 years ago?

What lessons learned then have now been forgotten in such a short period of time?

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it!

Anonymous said...

From the mouths of the politicians just a few years ago, "gaming is the devil", what happened? Now it is our salvation? More money to waste, more slush funds, more money to give your friends or cronies! Tell me to my face that this money will go directly to the bay bridge to keep tolls at $2, tell me that the money will ALL go toward a rainy day fund, tell me that the money will not go to teachers unions who graduate 50% of MD students, Then only to you get my vote? We don't trust you, what part of that, don't you understand!!!

Anonymous said...

These supposed 100's of jobs this stands to create needs some scrutiny. Are these jobs above poverty level wages? How many of these casino employees are being supplemented by taxpayer entitlements such as Medicaid, renter's assistance, etc?

Anonymous said...

While a vote for question 7 increases the coffers of local government, it increases the costs to taxpayers. This will lower taxes by 10% to the casino owners but where will the money come from to make up for this? Not the tooth ferry.

Obama Motors said...

Agreed 100%. Maryland problem is not the revenue, it is the NO LIMIT SPENDING in Annapolis, with bunch of liberals lead by Owe'Malley.

Anonymous said...

Mike, I'm voting against this one, too. We need real jobs, not just a bunch of money trading!