Anti-slots group: Take those ads off the air

Anti-slots group Marylanders United to Stop Slots wants WBAL-AM to pull two ads being aired by its pro-slots rival organization.

"These advertisements are false and misleading, and knowingly misstate facts and positions on the issue of Question 2, the slots constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall," wrote the group's senior advisor, Scott Arceneaux, in a letter to WBAL-FM. The letter was in reference to two ads being run by the pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future.

According to Arceneaux, one ad says slots will guarantee $650 million in new education funding each year. "Simply put, this is a lie," he said.

The second ad, Arceneaux says, made false statements about anti-slots organizations - such as his own.

"The ad makes the claim that those opposing slots have proposed a $700 million tax increase to make up for an alleged and, frankly made up, short fall of $700 million. The anti-slots groups in this campaign have made no such proposal," he said.

But Steve Kearney, a spokesperson for For Maryland For Our Future claims that's exactly what anti-slots groups have said.

"They can't expect to get away with talking about raising taxes in Montgomery County and cutting services in the rest of the state and not get caught," Kearney told PolitickerMD.com.

Kearny called the actions a stunt.

"This is what campaigns that are losing always do," he said. "This discussion needs to be truthful and needs to talk about the real choices Maryland faces."

Voters will decide on November's ballot if the state constitution should be amended to allow no more than 15,000 slot machine installations at five different locations across the state.

The slots referendum has become one of the most heated issues in the state. Proponents argue the slots will provide necessary funding for the state's education infrastructure and will help close the budget deficit. Opponents believe the revenue projections are overly optimistic, the ballot's language is misleading and the problems associated with gambling far outweigh the benefits.

The controversy has lead to the formation of various groups lobbying in support of and against the passage of November's slots referendum.