Ministers Representing 200 Churches—formally known as the Collective Banking Group--
Take A Stand Against Slots
By Raoul Dennis
State Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot was slightly taken aback when he walked into the press conference at Glenarden Baptist Church in Landover late last week to find nearly 60 church leaders awaiting him. They gathered to voice their position on Question 2 on the November ballot.
“This is people power,” he said warmly.
The state leader stood with the members of the Collective Banking Group, a non-profit organization of “pastors and church members in Prince George’s County and the Metropolitan D.C. area regarding inequitable access to services provided by local banks and businesses.” The group aims to “gain economic empowerment and justice in their business dealings” by forging better relationships between financial institutions and the communities the churches represent.
They have long stood against slots in Maryland.
“The question is being posed: will slots help the state or add to its decay,” posed Pastor Jonathan Weaver of the CBG’s national office. Weaver is pastor of the Greater Mount Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bowie. “When a state turns to luck to solve our problems it’s a sign that those leaders don’t have confidence in its ability to help its people. They’re saying that we have to resort to playing games [in order to solve our fiscal problems].”
Franchot applauded the ministers and challenged pro-gambling advocates to step forward to debate the issue as opposed to invoking its massive advertising campaign.
“The $500 million dollar advertising campaign is blatantly deceptive,” Franchot says. “Amending the [state] constitution [to do this] is wrong. Advocates for slots should step up and explain their position. Let’s have an open debate but don’t pretend that your gambling plan will help kids and keep taxes low.”
He continued saying that slots are the wrong direction for addressing the state’s budget shortfalls.
“Yes, times are tough but difficult times pass and slots are forever,” Francholt says. “All the problems that stem from legalized gambling will be issues for the CBG to address. Not one dime of revenue earned from slots is promised to go into education. There has to be a better way to solve our problems,” he says.
Delegate JoAnn Benson recalled her experiences working as a teacher in Calvert County. She said she witnessed the social challenges in young students that resulted from the presence of gambling.
“It was devastating for the kids: domestic violence, alcoholism and [family budget crisis] was rampant. I made up my mind that if I ever got the chance to stop it before it started I would say ‘no’.”
She went on to say that past promises regarding the use of gambling and support for schools were never respected.
“Remember when they brought in the lottery? They said one day per week and money for education. We know the rest of the story. If you want to gamble, go to Atlantic city or Vegas but not here.”
One county leader introduced statistical data to the dialogue.
“Half of the top five worst state economies are gambling states,” she noted. “Five of the racino states have cut education. It’s not working.”
Racinos are horse or greyhound race tracks which have casinos according to racino.com, a website guide on North American racinos. In some cases, the casino games are limited to slot machines or video lottery terminals (VLTs) only. However, many locations are beginning to include table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette. The site lists 11 states as racino hosts with Maryland as a state considering the notion.
Pastor Perry Smith of the First Baptist Church of North Brentwood called the situation an embarrassment for state leaders.
“I’m embarrassed to have to sit here and say this,” he said. “It embarrasses me that smart people can’t run a state without gambling on the backs of poor African Americans in this state.”
He continued with a moral plea: “How can you support schools with blood money? Ask yourself, will God be pleased with this?”
--PGS Staff
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