Fifteen Protestant and Eastern Orthodox religious leaders are taking aim at legislative proposals to bring casino gambling to Maryland, voicing "unequivocal opposition" to the measures they say would lead to "family disintegration" and "violent crime."
The clergy group found an ally last week, at least temporarily, in Gov. Parris N. Glendening, who urged legislators to resist the lure of easy money promised by 29 bills to permit casino and riverboat gambling in various parts of the state.
Because the issue needs more study, the governor said, he would veto any such measures adopted in this year's legislative session.
The clergy who signed a statement sharply attacking the gaming proposals include Maryland bishops of the United Methodist, Episcopal and Lutheran churches; their counterparts in the Baptist, Presbyterian, Mennonite, Brethren and Disciples of Christ denominations; and spokesmen for the Quakers and the United Church of Christ. Also among the signers were the presidents of two ecumenical organizations, the Rev. Arnold W. Howard of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and the Rev. Raymond Velencia, an Orthodox priest who heads the Central Maryland Ecumenical Council.
Lawyers, lobbyists and public relations firms for out-of-state casino interests have been promoting gaming legislation in Annapolis as an answer to financial needs of the state, Baltimore City and the counties.
"We understand God's intent for us to be the building of community around the values of human worth, fair and honest labor, and the stewardship of God's gracious gifts to us," says the statement issued by the clergymen. "High-stakes gambling now envisioned by the state legislature seriously threatens these values."
The initiator of the latest clergy effort is United Methodist Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel, whose church began a statewide campaign against casino-gambling proposals in October. He has been joined in the campaign by Bishop Charles L. Longest of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and Bishop George Paul Mocko of the Delaware/Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The new clergy manifesto lists four reasons for opposition to the casino proposals:
* They would result in "high costs in terms of family disintegration and pathological gambling."
* The casino industry's promises of increased public revenues are false ones because "hidden costs will far outweigh illusory short-term gains."
* Casino gambling "siphons income from local business."
* "Violent crime follows casinos, increasing the cost of public safety."
Gerard E. Evans, a lobbyist for the owners of the biggest casino at Nevada's Lake Tahoe, has told Maryland legislators that states and cities with such gambling operations typically collect 15 to 20 percent of their gross receipts, which he said could be as much as $50 million a year from a 40,000-square-foot casino.
Del. Sheila E. Hixson, the Montgomery County Democrat who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee in Annapolis, said recently she would like to see some state proceeds from casinos designated for mental health programs and programs for the developmentally disabled.
But "the promise to build an economic future with casino moneys is a false hope," the clergy group counters in its statement delivered to elected officials.
"We need a more positive, life-building, job-creating economic policy," the religious leaders said. "Casino gambling signifies bad economics, negative social impact and poor government policy."
Other signers of the statement are the Rev. John R. Deckenback of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ; the Rev. Charles R. Barnes, executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware; the Rev. W. Chris Hobgood, regional minister of the Disciples of Christ; the Rev. Herbert D. Valentine, Baltimore executive presbyter of the Presbyterian Church USA; the Rev. Lawrence D. Jameson of the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Also, Marcus Matthews, council director of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodists; Ron Mattson, executive secretary of the Baltimore Monthly Meeting of Friends, Stony Run; the Rev. Frank E. Nice, overseer of the Penn-Mar District of the Mennonite Church; the Rev. Walter L. Parrish II, executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of the South; and the Rev. Ronald D. Petry, Mid-Atlantic District executive of the Church of the Brethren.
"We call upon our elected officials and all Maryland citizens to strenuously oppose casino gambling, and pursue instead a positive economic policy," said the statement, made public Friday.