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Ehrlich links slot machines to education money Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.gazette.net/200507/montgomerycty/county/260052-1.htmlhttp://www.gazette.net/200507/montgomerycty/county/260052-1.html
In the end, County Council will keep quiet in slots fight
by Douglas Tallman
Staff Writer
Feb. 16, 2005
An effort to get the Montgomery County Council to oppose slot machine gambling officially fell flat Monday.
Councilman Steven A. Silverman (D-At large) of Silver Spring denounced Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s efforts to link slot machine revenues to millions in state education aid and asked his colleagues to back a resolution opposing gambling.
Silverman called the education aid maneuver a bribe.
"Slots for tots is not a deal we're prepared to support," he said.
But other council members cited political concerns for choosing to keep the county out of what is likely to become a bitter showdown in Annapolis for a third year in a row.
"The perception of Montgomery County outside of Montgomery County is relevant," said Council President Thomas E. Perez (D-Dist. 5) of Takoma Park. "If you really care about making sure slots for school construction don't happen, it doesn't help to have Montgomery County on record."
Ehrlich (R) has said he would use $100 million of the slots revenue for school construction projects across the state and as much as $50 million for the "geographic cost of education index," or GCEI, which would increase state aid to school systems, particularly to Montgomery and Prince George's counties where costs are higher than elsewhere in the state.
One version of the bill is to be considered today in the House Ways and Means Committee, which is chaired by Del. Sheila Ellis Hixson (D-Dist. 20) of Silver Spring. Five other Montgomery delegates also sit on the committee.
County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) has long opposed slot machine gambling.
"We respect the council's view, but it doesn't change the county executive's view," Duncan spokesman David S. Weaver said. Duncan is to appear in Annapolis today as part of an anti-slots event.
The debate over gambling came during the council's weekly review of legislative issues on Monday. Only six members attended; Councilmen Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, Michael L. Subin (D-At large) of Gaithersburg and Howard A. Denis (R-Dist. 1) of Chevy Chase were absent.
Silverman called on the council to take its first official stance opposing slots. Supporting him were George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park and Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg.
"If slot machines ever came to the state, as an elected official, I hope I can look back on my record and say I did everything I could to stop them," Leventhal told his colleagues.
But Perez and Councilwomen Marilyn J. Praisner (D-Dist. 4) of Calverton and Nancy M. Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park opposed the resolution, questioning the value the council could add to the discussion.
"We're not as important as some of us think we are on this issue," Perez said later.
Praisner cited the geographic cost of education index for supporting silence.
"Given that GCEI and other things are in play, I think we should take no position," she said.
Although it is part of the Thornton education funding reform package, GCEI has never been funded by the governor.
One of the leading opponents of slot machine legalization in Annapolis disagreed with the notion that silence was golden.
For one, it would show support for other jurisdictions, such as neighboring Prince George's County, that do not want slot machine parlors within their borders, said Aaron Meisner, coordinating chairman of Stop Slots Maryland.
And for another, it would help keep slots out of Montgomery. Meisner pointed out the state lottery has grown from one drawing a week to one drawing every 4 minutes with Keno.
"Montgomery has a nicely sized population, which would be looked on with envy as we progress down the road, should slots pass," he said.
Ultimately, Silverman's motion to oppose slot machines failed 3-3. Praisner offered an alternative motion, for the council to take no position. Although it, too, failed 3-3, the council in effect did exactly what the motion intended.
Had the missing three councilmen voted Monday, the council would have backed the position calling for silence on the issue.
Subin said Tuesday that he would have voted with the no-slots resolution. But Knapp and Denis said they would support no position, making a final tally of 5-4 for Praisner's alternative.
"I don't see how we have a role to play in that," Denis said.
After Monday's meeting, Silverman's campaign office issued a statement that the councilman had called on the General Assembly to defeat legalizing slot machines.
Silverman, who is raising money to run for county executive in 2006, called on his former council colleague and declared county executive candidate Isiah Leggett to oppose slots.
Leggett, former head of the state Democratic Party, said Monday that he opposes slots "unequivocally," a stance that he said predates the 2002 gubernatorial campaign.
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