Evening star., 1948-08-29
Slot Machines
Net ST. Mary's
$4,000 in Year
County Disappointed;
TotoI Is $4,000 Less
Than Was Anticipated
By J. [. Michoel
Stor Sfoff Correspondent

Authorities reported today that slot
machines will bring 100000 into the
St. Mary's County treasury in their
first year of legal operation, but ex-
pressed disappointment that the
total is $4,000 less than had been
expected. They said the next legis-
lature will be asked to amend the
present law.
Legal operation Of the machines
began in the county March l after
voters had indicated their approval
by 2-l vote in a referendum last
December The machines had been
operated illegally for more than 40
years.
AS a result of the referendum, St.
Mary's became the first county in
Maryland in which coin-operated
gaming devices were approved by
mandate of the people.
Anne Arundel Had Them.
Previous to the St. Marys County
vote, slot machines were legal in
only one other county in the State,
Anne Arundel, where a legislative
htL SlSllCd NY SoN. ~ SOllO1
authorized the county commission
ers to license the devices. Since
the ST. Mary's County referendum
p third county, Calvert, has licensed
slot machines as a result of an
other 2-1 vote in a special election
last June.
An indication that Charles
County may become the fourth
county in Maryland to license slot
machines came with release of a
grand jury report, which last week
recommended such action. The
grand jury also urged that bingo,
raffles and sundry games of chance
be permitted, and the foreman later
suggested that county-Supervised
parimutuel betting be adopted to
supplant the numbers racket.
Based on Issuances.
The 100000 estimated return from
ST. Mary's County machines was
based on the number of licenses is
sued and the first report received
from the State controller on the
amount of the tax collected on gross
receipts.
Under the law approved in the
referendum, the county commits
slonerS were given authority to ap-
prove or disapprove slot machines.
but the law required that if they
were sanctioned the Commissioners
must impose license fee of $50
on each machine and gross re-
ceipts tax of 5 per cent.
In addition operators are required
to pay a Federal tax of 500 or each
machine and the State in the past
has collected tax of one half of l
per cent on gross receipts The
bill also provided that licenses be
issued by the Circuit Court clerk
after approval by the county COM
missioners. and that the gross re-
ceipts tax be collected by the State
controller. The controllers office
was authorized to deduct expenses
incurred and to forward the net
proceeds to county authorities.
825 Licenses Issued.
Aloysious F. King. secretary to the
County Commissioners, reported to-
day that 1926 licenses have been is
sued. and that the county will re-
ceive approximately $4,000 from
tn gross receipts tax for March,
April and May. The amount in
cludes the one half of l per cent
State tax which Mr.. King said will
not revert to the county.
The 100000 figure, Mr.. King ex-
planned, was the return the Com
missioners had in mind when they
reduced the county tax rate a few
weeks ago from $1.50 to SIPS. They
had promised a tax reduction if
slot machines were approved.
Mr.. King laid the blame for the
shortage on the county's lack of
housing accommodations Thou
sands who have in the past visited
st. Mary's County during the vaca-
ton period he declared, have been
unable to do so this year because
they could not find places to stay
Amendments Studied.
He added that study had already
begun to find way to amend the
law to provide a higher return.
The difficulty appears to lie in the
fact that both the license fee and
the amount of the gross receipts
tax are stipulated in the bill passed
by the Legislature.
Whether either could be changed
without another vote of the people
neither Senator Bailey nor Mr.. King
was prepared to say.
The question is to be taken up
at conference soon between the
county commissioners. local attor-
neys and other county authorities.
Senator Bailey said conclusions
reached at this meeting will be in
corporated into an amendment
vhihc will be introduced in the
next legislature.