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After years and years of debate, slot machines are finally legal in Maryland.  On Tuesday a constitutional amendment was approved by voters to legalize the one armed bandit.  The purpose of legalizing slot machines was to add millions of dollars to the Maryland state coffers to improve schools. 

Frederick W. Puddester, the chairman of For Maryland For Our Future pro-slot machine coalition, believes the amendment to be “the most taxpayer friendl.”

“This thing was successful in every part of the state,” continued Puddester.

According to Puddester, slot machines in Maryland will “fund our increase in education and bring back money that's going to West Virginia and going to Delaware.”

The General Assembly still has its own challenges ahead.  Puddester points out that it must continue to tough it out through the nations withering economy.  Last month the state was forced to make $350 million in budget cuts.  Puddester was Maryland budget secretary under Democratic Governor Parris N. Glendening.

Maryland has some historic mistakes to correct in the form of a 1997 income tax cut and a 1.3 billion increase in grad school spending.  Revenues from slot machines will allow the state to address these long term structural deficits.

“That has finally been resolved,” said Puddester.

As always, issues regarding slot machine received a lot of resistance, Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot, a democrat, led the opposition in Maryland this time around.  He believes opponents of slot machines “fought a good fight.”

“We are proud of the thousands of people who worked with us and who voted against slots with us,” said Franchot.

“We have nothing to be ashamed of. We were outspent by the gambling companies. But one thing this does is prove to the gambling industry that the people of Maryland will fight before they let gambling invade their state.”

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