Slot machines should aid state, not racetracks

As a supporter of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and of slots for Maryland, I am deeply concerned about many millions of dollars that may go to a handful of wealthy individuals and companies.

I have read reports that racetrack owners and associated companies could get a windfall of 41 percent to 49 percent of slots revenue ("Industry's input on slots given to Ehrlich," Jan. 10). But why are we, as taxpayers, going to enrich already wealthy individuals with this revenue?

Track owners should be paid fair rental for the space the slots will occupy, and that's it. If they don't like it, I'm sure other venues can be found.

If Maryland horse racing cannot survive without such a government handout, so be it. I don't see the state of Maryland dumping large amounts of cash into my business.

Maryland must own and operate the slots and scrutinize any money that goes out of the state's coffers.

Robert Schwartz

Owings Mills

The writer is president of Prestige Transportation Service.

What is the big deal about saving Maryland's racing industry?

Ask 10 Marylanders if they care about horse racing, and you will be lucky to get two positive responses.

If Marylanders cared about this private industry, it wouldn't be in the condition that it is.

I agree that slots are important to our state, but to bail out horse racing? Hardly.

Larry Zenich

Baltimore

Raise the legal age for buying tobacco

The simplest and by far most effective way to reduce teen-age cigarette smoking is to raise the legal age for buying tobacco to 19 ("Lung association says Md. fails to keep cigarettes from teens," Jan. 7).

This would slash the trickle-down effect, in which 18-year-olds finishing high school provide cigarettes to 17-year-olds and on down the line.

However, an increased age for legal purchase of tobacco should only take effect 365 days after its signing into law; it would be unfair to forbid tobacco purchases by someone who began smoking at 18, when that was the legal age.

Frederick N. Mattis

Annapolis

City is right to urge citizens to fight back

I am terribly sorry the Dawsons perished in the way that they did and for the pain the family and their friends and neighbors have suffered. However, it is absurd for Johnnie Cochran to point to an anti-crime, anti-drug program and blame it for the actions of violent criminals ("Anti-drug campaign blamed in Dawson arson deaths," Jan. 8).

If more men and women in Baltimore had the courage to stand up and fight for what is right, the way the Dawson family did, perhaps the drug dealer who allegedly firebombed their house would not have been on the street. And perhaps the drug dealers who had overrun their neighborhood would not have been on the streets, either.

The city is working, under Mayor Martin O'Malley's leadership, to improve the lives of its citizens and help them to live without fear. Punishing the city for its efforts is a perverse response to this tragedy.

The city should be praised for its efforts, and more families should be encouraged to stand up and fight for their neighborhoods.

Stephen Chittenden

Baltimore

Dismissing charges endangers us all

Goodbye, Charm City. It's been a fun run. It saddens me to leave such a great area, but I can no longer live in a city where a man shoots four detectives who entered his house in a drug search, and the city's top prosecutor sees fit to dismiss all charges ("Prosecutor to drop charges in shooting of four officers," Jan. 7).

This is definitely one case that should have been decided by a grand jury instead of going no further than Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy's desk.

I truly believe that, by dismissing charges not just in this case but several others, she not only throws a blindfold over the eyes of Lady Justice, but puts us all in danger.

Sean G. Somers

Baltimore

Legalizing drugs is a dangerous idea

Whenever there is a call to legalize drugs, I literally cringe ("Legalizing drugs would save lives," letters, Jan. 10).

Frankly, I would have no problem with such a proposal if only I was guaranteed that people using drugs would never drive, work in public transportation, hold public office, run any machines that could hurt the public, vote or have children.

I'm sorry, but citizens' right to be protected from dangerous behavior outweighs anyone's right to catch a buzz.

George W. Ford

Annapolis

Accounting board greedy, out of touch

I guess I just don't get it.

After all of the disclosures regarding Arthur Andersen Inc. and others guilty of accounting irregularities, I assumed that the "accounting-oversight" board would be made up of committed members whose first concern was to take steps to exercise some oversight.

But what do I find? At their first meeting, the new board members voted themselves starting salaries of $452,000 to $560,000, which is more than the president makes ("Accounting-oversight board holds its first formal meeting," Jan. 11).

Pardon me, but couldn't we find committed board members who would take less - especially in view of the people who have lost their jobs because of the actions of some accountants?

How greedy and out of touch can people be?

And just where are our senators and congressmen, who should be just as outraged about this as many of us citizens are?

Stanley I. Minch

Baltimore

Will U.S. become the world's bully?

Let me get this straight: We're preparing to invade a country that has not attacked us or threatened us with attack ("Bush: 'Time running out' for Iraq," Jan. 15).

The United States that I've believed in for all of my 49 years would never do such a thing. I plead with my countrymen not to let the pain of Sept. 11 lead us to become the world's bully.

Ken Shapiro

Baltimore

Take the battle to the terrorists

Does President Bush exploit our fears or nurture them needlessly ("President exploits the nation's fears," letters, Jan. 14)? Never.

The reason that the events of Sept. 11 could happen was that the terrorists were able to catch us unaware and unprepared. Now the terrorists have brought the violence home to us. And my single greatest fear is that we will once again allow ourselves to be lulled by routine and be unprepared for the next terrorist attack.

We must take the war to the terrorists, hunt them down and eliminate every one of them. If we fail to do so, more innocent Americans will die.

Matt Murphy

Ellicott City