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Maryland Slot Plan Falls Apart

MARYLAND – As reported by the Baltimore Sun: "It began with a telephone call last week to New York City while Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. was attending the Republican National Convention.

"Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller was on the line, dusting off a plan for a referendum on slot machine gambling. Let's give it one more try, he said, before a fast-approaching deadline for putting the question on the Nov. 2 ballot.

"…So on Monday night, when most Marylanders were eating their last Labor Day burgers or laying out back-to-school clothes, the state's three top leaders gathered at the governor's mansion. They were joined by Budget Secretary James C. 'Chip' DiPaula Jr., one of Ehrlich's closest advisers.

"…It took them about an hour to agree on rudiments of a slots deal. Participants gave this account of the meeting:

"You can have your bill for legalizing slots, House Speaker Michael E. Busch told the governor, but voters should ultimately decide in a referendum. And let's pick the three racetrack locations for slots and spell out where the three other slots facilities will go. Ehrlich and Miller agreed.

"The governor expressed doubts that 85 votes in the House of Delegates could be raised to approve a proposed constitutional amendment, which would trigger the ballot-box vote. So the governor and Busch concurred that they would spend the next two days counting votes in the Democratic and Republican caucuses - possibly convening a special legislative session this week to get things done.

"But the agreement shattered within hours.

"…The speaker said the governor didn't work hard enough to secure votes and shut the door to negotiations. Ehrlich supporters say the speaker didn't keep his word, because he abandoned an effort to raise votes for the Labor Day plan in the face of internal House opposition and instead wanted to change the proposal…"

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