Slot machines siphon off funds from businesses

Greg Garland's article "Risky Bet on Slots" (Nov. 24) was fantastic, and I hope our legislators and governor-elect pay attention to it.

Gambling consultant Steve Rittvo estimates that up to "85 percent would be 'new money' - money from people in the region who are not already traveling to Delaware, Atlantic City or West Virginia to gamble." What he neglects to say is that a University of New Orleans study for the Louisiana Gaming Commission showed that for each dollar in slots revenue, 87 cents is diverted from existing businesses.

So the "new money" Mr. Rittvo is talking about isn't really new, but money that won't be spent in Maryland's theaters, restaurants and malls.

On Nov. 21, a spokesman for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce told the Commission on Maryland's Fiscal Structure that it should consider slots as a revenue source. I would think that, since slots will cannibalize existing business, the chamber might want to rethink this position.

I agree with Mr. Garland that the social costs of gambling are hard to measure. However, a study from the Montana legislature found it would cost $560,000 a year to treat just 6 percent of the state's pathological gamblers.

This is a lot more than the $25,000 West Virginia spends on its hotline, which does nothing more than give gamblers an assessment, then send them on their way to pay for their own treatment.

And economists from the universities of Illinois and Georgia have estimated conservatively that gambling costs the taxpayers $1.90 in social costs for each $1 in revenue.

Kimberly S. Roman

Glen Burnie

The writer co-chairs NOcasiNO Maryland

Spending is source of state budget woes

It does not take a genius to know that overspending is the reason for Maryland's budget deficit ("Don't blame spending for Md. shortfall," Opinion * Commentary, Nov. 8).

The eight years of Gov. Parris N. Glendening's administration were marked by fiscal irresponsibility and a budget that grew by 63 percent, which was more than three times the rate of inflation and almost twice the rate of personal income growth. During this period the bureaucracy swelled by some 12,000 employees.

And Peter Berns' effort to blame the 10 percent cut in state income taxes for Maryland's shortfall is absurd. Tax cuts increase economic growth and saving by putting money back in the hands of those who know best what to do with it - the people.

Maryland has the third-highest per capita personal income tax in the nation.

I hope that, once the new administration gets our fiscal house in order, Marylanders can look forward to further tax cuts.

Richard E. Hug

Baltimore

The writer was finance chairman of the Ehrlich-Steele campaign.

Send a message to child predators

George P. Chambers claims that his correspondence over the Internet with a person he thought was a young girl was about fantasy ("Internet sex-sting case goes to trial," Dec. 3). Oh, please. This may have been plausible had Mr. Chambers not driven 50 miles to meet the "girl."

I may from time to time fantasize about running away to Tahiti. I may even search the Web for travel information. But if I were to book a ticket and drive to the airport for my flight, it would become much more than fantasy.

As a parent of young girls, I fervently hope that our criminal justice system will send all who prey on children the message that the "new society" mentioned by the defense attorney will not tolerate such aberrant behavior.

Kimberly G. Singleton

Lutherville

The mayor chooses the wrong friend

Has the mayor of Baltimore become an admirer of the ex-president who disgraced that office and should have been kicked out of it ("O'Malley meets the moderates," Dec. 4)?

And what does Mayor Martin O'Malley's comment "Clinton showed the way" mean?

If Mr. Clinton had done his job when our embassies were blown up and our soldiers were killed, and gone after al-Qaida more vigorously years ago, we might not have had the Sept. 11 murders.

As a Democrat and a supporter of the mayor, I'm very disappointed in his current choice of political friends.

V. R. Neuheimer

Parkville

City Council is right to oppose war in Iraq

I want to thank Gregory Kane for attending the Nov. 27 town meeting at City Hall concerning the pending war on Iraq and writing "Foreign policy venture isn't idle exercise" (Dec. 1). Unfortunately, he missed several key points about the resolution and ended his column as if he was ignorant of history.

Mr. Kane suggested lefties would never utter the words, "The United States is still a haven of freedom for the oppressed of the world."

But it is those citizens of these United States who proclaim themselves to be left-of-center who, in fact, keep alive the hope that our great country will not betray its principles and turn its back on the oppressed of the world.

And it is appropriate for the Baltimore City Council to address the Bush administration's desire to wage war in Iraq. This war will cost the United States billions and will have drastic impacts on our economy and the city.

Let us respect the international rule of law and let the United Nations handle Iraq.

Michael Seipp

Baltimore

City should restrict noisy leaf blowers

I agree with Richard O'Mara's assessment that a few people in Baltimore are making too much pollution with leaf blowers ("Leaf blowers join the irritating din of 'progress,' " Opinion

Commentary, Nov. 24).

Leaf blowers are literally deafening to the unprotected. Their air pollution is also dangerous, and an ominous cloud of debris and oily smoke surrounds a person operating a leaf blower.

Hand tools such as rakes and brooms are cheaper, healthier and more respectful than gas-powered leaf blowers.

By restricting the use of leaf blowers in Baltimore, the City Council and the mayor could stop the few who violate our air and harm our health.

Micah Rosenblum

Baltimore

Unitas' name belongs on football stadium

John Unitas was a man who gave 100 percent of himself to Baltimore. The city owes him a debt that can only be repaid by naming the football stadium (not a field) after him.

Such a thoughtful gesture would continue the Unitas legend so that others may follow in his footsteps.

Furthermore, it would make the sports world see that the people of Baltimore place more value on honorable deeds and character than on corporate stadium-naming rights.

Deeds and character should prevail over corporate greed.

John Kozlowski

Timonium