Prince George’s County Council members say they’re insulted that an 11-member state commission to study the expansion of gambling in Maryland doesn’t include any lawmakers from their county.
The commission will study whether it’s in the state’s best interest to allow table games like blackjack and roulette at Maryland casinos and if officials should allow a casino site in Prince George’s.
Two alternate members to the commission are from Prince George’s — state Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters and Del. Dereck Davis — but none of the 11 voting members is from the county that could be the most affected by the commission’s work.
“It’s a slap to the face to Prince George’s that no one from our county will be there in voting authority to represent us,” said Councilman Obie Patterson, D-Fort Washington. “In my opinion, it stinks. I don’t know why we’re not there.”
Appointments to the commission were made by Gov. Martin O’Malley, as well as House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Anne Arundel, and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert and Prince George’s.
Patterson said he was concerned that two members of the commission — state Sen. Nathaniel McFadden and Del. Peter Hammen — are from Baltimore, whose delegation opposed a casino in Prince George’s during the 90-day legislative session.
And Del. Frank Turner, D-Howard County, also appointed to the commission, is the chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee that held up a gambling bill during the session.
“Yet again our voice is not heard on issues that directly affect us,” said Council Chairwoman Andrea Harrison, D-Bladensburg.
Miller dismissed their concerns, noting that lawmakers were chosen based on their General Assembly leadership roles. Most serve as chairmen or vice chairmen of legislative committees that deal with gambling bills.
And if lawmakers on the commission from Montgomery and Baltimore counties and Baltimore City can be convinced of the merits of a sixth casino, it could help build consensus to secure enough votes for a gambling bill to pass the House, Miller said.
“If you’re from Prince George’s County, you understand the issue,” he said. “We need to get the other lawmakers to understand the issue and sell their votes to their delegations.”
