The Maryland State Teachers Association voted Friday night to support passage of a November referendum on legalizing slot machines. The Association President Clara Foyd said: 'The referendum establishes an Education Trust Fund and dedicates half of future proceeds to our public schools. It provides Maryland with an additional source of funding beginning with license fees in early 2009.' State lawmakers are hoping to generate about $650 million annually from 15,000 slot machines installed at five locations across the state. Cynical lawmakers have tied legalized slots to future education funding.State President Thomas V. Miller warned that failure of the Bill would inevitably lead to budget cuts on education spending, and would affect salaries and particularly pensions, as alternative sources of funding will have to be found for it.
Many state leaders and some other teacher associations had urged this group to remain neutral or seek more input before making their choice.
The state Comptroller Peter Franchot is a bitter opponent of the move. He feels that the state could develop alternative sources of revenue by investing in biotechnology and other emerging scientific industries and by stepping up tax collections.
Although the slots opponents are saddened by the vote they are in no mood to give up without a fight. Maryland residents vote in November on whether to amend the state constitution to authorize the new slot machines.