Allegany Chamber fails to endorse slots
The Allegheny Allegany County Chamber of Commerce didn't oppose slots at its board meeting. But it didn't endorse them, either, as has the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. Sez the Allegheny Allegany Chamber:
At the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors of the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, the slots referendum was the focus of discussion. The Board supports the use of funds from slots, should they become legal, to help fund the educational needs throughout the state. However, as a business advocate, and with the best interest of the general public at heart, the Board decided it does not have enough information on the positive and negative economic impact on local business or the general public to be able to give support to the referendum. Issues such as payments to the County, placing such an establishment on public ground, negative social effects, and possible impact to local businesses will continue to be researched by the Chamber.
Comments
This should come as no shock to anyone. In fact, the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce has already voted to OPPOSE slots. Why? Because the estimated $1.4 billion that would be lost by Marylanders would have to come from somewhere, right? That somewhere is the spending that Marylanders are currently doing in our existing economy--shops, restaurants--you name it.
The real question is why the Maryland Chamber decided to support slots in the first place. Why support a policy that is so clearly and massively negative for most Chamber members? As it happens, MCC Chair Betty Buck owns a company called Buck Distributing. This company holds the contract to supply Miller Brewing products to (wait for it...) Laural Park! So what we have here is a world-class conflict of interest. She stands to personally profit directly from the passage of a slots bill.
But it gets better. Another MCC board member who voted "yes" was former House Speaker Cas Taylor. Mr. Taylor works today as an Annapolis lobbyist. It should come as no surprise to find out that he represents GAMBLING interests. Another conflict of interest, and another case where the passage of slots will benefit Mr. Taylor directly.
This should be a front page story, not a comment on a blog buried on the Sun's website. Marylanders deserve to know just who is betraying them, and who is paying them to do so.
Posted by: Aaron Meisner | September 5, 2008 10:04 AM
That's A-L-L-E-G-A-N-Y, Jay.
Kudos to the Allegany Chamber for standing up to Cas Taylor and his cronies!
Posted by: Mountain Marylander | September 5, 2008 10:39 AM