Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-31
Second OF a Series.J
By Alex R. Preston

The question OF whether legal
lied slot machines supply an end
justified by the means confronts
Prince Georges County voters.
Experiences Of two other South.
ern Maryland counties which
adopted this form OF approved
gambling as local revenue pro-
ducers may decide for a number
Of Prince Georges residents how
they will vote IN . referendum
Thursday. -. (,
II q majority approses The epes-
tiorf of making lAsaf the 0perAtion
of machines that already flourish
there. Prince Georges win become
the fourth Southern Maryland
county to sanction this type Of
amusement. And on June al
Charles County will decide a SIM
liar question. thus establishing the
possibility that the entire South
ern Maryland block OF five coun-
ties will be open slot machine
territory.
Anne Arundel County became
the first in the State to have slot
when Gov. NOV SEN
ator) O'Conor signed a bill making
them legal. There was no local
referendum on the question there
No Tar Cut Results.
Subsequently. however. Gov.
Lane approved referendum bills
for st. Marys and Calvert Coun-
ties and voters in both areas sane
toned slot machines. This Is what
has happened:
Despite arguments that the tax
rates would be reduced. the levy
In st. Marys has been increased
from $l.25 to $l.4o and In CAL
vert the rate of $l.ss has remained
the same.
About $4,000 less than was
predicted by slot machine advo-
Gates has been produced In the
first year Of operation in st.
Marys. In Calvert. the revenue
appears to be tagging.
The number of licenses issued
for machines In St. Marys dropped
by more than 200 at the begin
ming of the second year. when
with the first year. In
Calvert. the second year has not
started and a similar comparison
cannot be made. But only Q frac-
ton of the previously estimated
number Of machines there were
actually issued licenses. This
could mean that the counties are
not collecting revenue from all
of the machines and. In the case
of st. Marys. the tendency may
be growing to evade the tax. 81.
Marys has appointed an inspector
to check on this.
S3s.0o0 for School.
st. Marys has been able TO pay
the Government $500 for a
new high school at Great Mills.
Calvert is raising money toward
a new $3.50. 900 hospital.
The referendum bill for st.
Marys County was passed by q
special session Of the Maryland
General Assembly In November.
is47. A week before the question
was put TO the voters In December.
The Star foresaw that the deci-
sion reached would be OF signifs-
canoe elsewhere In the State The
Star said on December /. io47:
Since the attitude Of st.
Marys residents extends TO neigh
boring Calvert. Charles and Prince
Georges Counties. II h believed
legislators from those areas and
elsewhere In the State may take
steps ut the next session
Of the General Assembly to per
NIT voters TO decide the Issue"
That is exactly what happened
and. coincsdentally. In that order.
After 81. Marys voters adopted
the referendum. another special
session OF the legislature Was
held early last year. A bin Tor
Calvert County vas approved and
II the regular session this year.
the General Assembly passed The
Charles and Prince Georges
County measures.
According to ofYsciAls of g.
Maryx County ga siot-machtne
licenses we're issued during the