Maryland Educators Urge Voters To Approve Ballot Question

TOWSON, Md. (AP/WJZ) — A Maryland coalition of education advocates is urging voters to approve a ballot question requiring the state's portion of casino revenues be used to increase public school funding.

Supporters say $500 million annually will be added to public education once phased in if voters approve in November. A news conference on the issue will be held Thursday in Towson.

The state's portion of casino revenue that's sent to the Education Trust Fund is required to be spent on education. But critics of the current system say nearly the same amount of existing funding has been shifted from education to other parts of the state budget.

A state commission is working on recommendations to update school funding formulas, which haven't been updated in nearly two decades.

This issue was voted on in 2008, the governor guaranteed it.

The promise was Slots for Tots, which would generate millions in additional funding for schools, but as Denise Koch revealed in a special report this year, the law was written so casino cash could replace the state funding, not add to it, and schools remain underfunded.

This year the general assembly passed the Fix the Fund Act, and the coalition is working to get voters to approve it.

"THIS IS A BIPARTISAN INITIATIVE," SAID BOST, "TO MAKE SURE NO MATTER WHO IS IN THE GOVERNOR'S HOUSE OR WHO IS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL HAVE TO PUT THIS MONEY FROM CASINO REVENUES TO INCREASE MONEYFOR SCHOOLS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY (VOTERS) KNOW THAT IT IS NOT ALREADY DONE BUT THEY HAVE A CHANCE IN NOVEMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. "

Fix the Fund is question one on the November ballot.

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