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The Prince George’s County Council passed a resolution Tuesday morning that would allow slots in the county on the condition of a majority vote by county residents.
The non-binding resolution calls for a statewide referendum, with an additional condition for majority approval of Prince George’s County voters.
Introduced by council members Derrick Davis, Mel Franklin, Obie Patterson, Karen Toles and Council Chairwoman Ingrid Turner, the resolution comes shortly before a vote on a bill to ban slots through the county’s zoning authority. Penn National Gaming, which bought the bankrupt Rosecroft Raceway earlier this year, wants to bring casino-style gambling to the racetrack.
However, there’s nothing in the Maryland constitution to allow the vote of one county to supersede the vote of a statewide referendum, according to Karen Zavakos, legislative officer for the council.
More than 80 speakers are signed up to testify for and against the slots ban bill, introduced by Councilman Eric Olson, D-College Park.
The vote on the resolution, which divided the council 5-4, is a strong indication of the vote on the slots ban later this afternoon. Council members Will Campos, Mary Lehman, Andrea Harrison, and Olson voted against the resolution.
“The people of the county sent the nine members of the council and the county executive to lead, not to follow,” Lehman said. “After we just decided this issue in 2008, I don’t think we need to revisit this. The voters have spoken.”
Turner has long opposed Olson’s bill, preferring to allow the county’s residents to vote for or against slots. And County Executive Rushern Baker has called the bill premature, preferring to leave all options on the table when he heads to Annapolis next year in search of state funding.
