Secretary of State John McDonough issued the language of the slots ballot question yesterday. Here it is:

Question 2 - Constitutional Amendment
(Chapter 5, Acts of 2007 Special Session)
Authorizing Video Lottery Terminals (Slot Machines) to Fund Education
Authorizes the State to issue up to five video lottery licenses for the purpose of raising revenue for education of children in public schools, prekindergarten through grade 12, public school construction and improvements, and construction of capital projects at community colleges and higher education institutions. No more than a total number of 15,000 video lottery terminals may be authorized in the State, and only one license may be issued for each specified location in Anne Arundel, Cecil, Worcester, and Allegany Counties, and Baltimore City. Any additional forms or expansion of commercial gaming in Maryland is prohibited, unless approved by a voter referendum.
(Enacts new Article XIX of the Maryland Constitution)
- For the Constitutional Amendment
- Against the Constitutional Amendment

Upon reviewing the language, Maryland Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Ron Wineholt said, “The Maryland Chamber believes that the ballot language is a fair and factual summary of the constitutional amendment. Hopefully we can now move on in the remaining two months to a serious discussion of the public policy choices between slots, more taxes and/or budget cuts.”

The Maryland Chamber has supported carefully regulated slots, in limited locations to fund public education since 2002. We believe that authorizing slots is a reasonable alternative to the tax increases that would otherwise be needed to stabilize Maryland’s shaky finances. Marylanders are spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year on this form of entertainment outside the State. The Maryland Chamber believes that we should keep this money at home to help fund public education.

To learn more about the November 4 referendum, visit www.formaryland.org.