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5 days left to Get the Facts

Here at ForMaryland.org we've made it even easier to figure out to find out how voting for Question 2 will benefit you.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on October 30, 2008 at 11:32 AM| Link

Maryland higher education group endorses Question 2

Great news. This week the Maryland Independent College and University Association's endorses Question 2.  MICUA  believes the future prosperity of Maryland is inextricably linked to the future health and strength of Maryland's colleges and universities.  With Maryland's economic in a scary fiscal state, they see no other option then to endorse Question 2.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on October 27, 2008 at 12:13 PM| Link

Washington Post: Layoffs, Trims In Education, Services Coming

With the budget crisis looming over state budgets, governors in the Chesapeake region are talking seriously about what services will have to be cut back. Maryland's Governor O'Malley, counts about $400 million in reductions that will need to take place.

A memo prepared by O'Malley's budget secretary outlines about 100 possible spending reductions, which would affect a swath of state government, including higher education, community colleges and social programs that provide child-care subsidies and drug treatment.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on October 09, 2008 at 9:24 PM| Link

New Round of Maryland Budget Cuts Could Hit All Services

This week Governor Martin O'Malley announced that the state's fiscal condition is in need of such deep repair that health care, education and public safety will not be spared in the next round of budget cuts. With the national economic news this week, this is no surprise.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on October 08, 2008 at 8:36 AM| Link

Radio ads hit the air

For Maryland For Our Future went up on radio with a pair of radio ads Friday. Click on the links below to download them in MP3 format.

Posted by Web Team on September 20, 2008 at 8:41 AM| Link

Slots seen as helpful to local transportation improvements

 At a recent informational open house in Berlin, Maryland regarding planned improvements to Route 589, the corridor between Routes 113 and 50, project managers said the improvements might be accelerated if slots are approved by statewide voters in November.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on September 19, 2008 at 9:02 AM| Link

Maryland Budget Crisis Worsens

We need the slots referendum now more than ever.

Check out this Washington Post article on the need for additional funds.

A state panel said yesterday that it projects $432 million less revenue for this fiscal year than it did six months ago, largely because of lagging collections of state sales and income taxes -- problems hardly unique to Maryland. 

Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster said she plans to recommend at least $250 million in spending cuts next month to help close the shortfall in the state's $14.5 billion general fund. Some reserve funds would be used to bridge the gap, too, Foster said. 

Read the full article here.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on September 10, 2008 at 10:38 AM| Link

Anti-slots group favors higher taxes to fix $700 million hole in budget

The machines are expected to generate about $700 million a year in revenue for the state, money which slots supporters — including Gov. Martin O'Malley — say will help erase the state's future deficits, pay for citizen services and continue paying for counties' teacher pension costs. If approved in November, the state is expected to experience its first significant revenue in fiscal 2011, which begins July 2010. Although the revenues would not be available to help plug the state's $1 billion deficit and $250 million gap next year, supporters say slots could prevent these types of future shortfalls.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on September 09, 2008 at 8:47 AM| Link

Baltimore Sun: Md. regents endorse slots referendum

Wading into a political debate, the state Board of Regents unanimously endorsed Friday a plan to install 15,000 slot machines at five locations across Maryland.

If approved by voters in November, slots would provide a dedicated revenue source for education, including money for building projects at state universities. Regents say the money is critical as the system's 11 universities try to accommodate more students.

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on September 08, 2008 at 2:06 PM| Link

Fredrick News Post: Weldon on slots, health care and why he’s not running

With the next state election only 1 1/2 years away, Weldon said, no politicians want to raise taxes. Without slots, massive cuts would be made in health and social programs, he said. Approval of slots could push the state's education fund from $76 million this year to nearly $500 million by 2012

Posted by For Maryland Web Team on September 05, 2008 at 1:59 PM| Link

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