For Maryland For Our Future

Pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future is attacking Comptroller Peter Franchot's (D-Takoma Park) position on slots in a new web ad, criticizing his past support for legalized slot machines.

"Question 2, this year's slots proposal, provides $660 million dollars to fund education," a narrator says in the ad. "In contrast, the Franchot slots bill gave less money to education than Question 2."

Franchot has been a staunch opponent of November's slots referendum and serves on the steering committee of anti-slots group Marylanders United to Stop Slots.

The pro-slots movement continued gaining money momentum last week after its leading advocacy organization outraised its rival anti-slots ballot issue committee by a substantial margin.

Voters will decide in November if the state constitution should be amended to allow up to 15,000 slot machine installations at five different locations across the state.

For Maryland For Our Future, which favors November's slots referendum, reported $663,651.51 cash-on-hand and $611,342.50 in total receipts, according to its pre-general campaign finance report, which reports the period of Oct. 6 through Oct. 19.

Passing November's slots referendum would recapture millions of dollars Marylanders are sending out of state, according to a new ad from pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future.

"Right now, we lose $400 million dollars a year from Marylanders who play slots out of state. Those are Maryland dollars paying to improve education in West Virginia and lower taxes in Pennsylvania," says a narrator in the ad. "But we can bring those dollars home by passing slots here in Maryland."

Recapture Millions Spent Out-of-State Invest $660 Million Dollars Directly into OUR Schools

Today, The Maryland State Fraternal Order of Police announced their endorsement of the November slots referendum

Proponents of November's controversial slots referendum hold a 20 percent advantage over their opponents, according to the pro-slots organization For Maryland For Our Future.

Voters will decide in November if the state constitution should be amended to allow up to 15,000 slot machines at five different locations across the state. A poll paid for by For Maryland For Our Future, and conducted by the Garin Hart Yang Research Group, shows 58 percent of Maryland voters in favor of passing Question 2, 38 percent against it and 4 percent undecided about the ballot initiative.

Pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future added three names to its list of endorsees on Friday. They argue that without slots Marylanders will see tax hikes, more budget cuts and a depletion of state funds.

The Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association, the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce and the Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce threw their support behind November's slots referendum, which would allow 15,000 slot machine installations at five different locations across the state.

"It's important that Marylanders vote for Question 2. Without Question 2, Maryland will be faced with more budget cuts and possible tax hikes," Carolyn McHugh, the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce's executive director, said in a statement

Franchot Anti-Slots Group Forced to Stop Broadcasting False Radio Ad

Pro-slots organization For Maryland For Our Future substantially outraised its rival anti-slots group during the last financial period, according to reports filed last week with the State Board of Elections.

For Maryland For Our Future ended the last financial quarter with $558,848.04 cash-on-hand and $3,781,500 in total receipts.

Anti-slots ballot issue committee Marylanders United to Stop Slots ended with $142,896.34 cash-on-hand and $411,053 in total receipts.

For Maryland For Our Future spent hundreds of thousands on television and radio advertising in addition to thousands more on consulting and research services. The vast amount of the committee's cash came from the horse racing industry.