Talks continue on slots as deadline for action nears

Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004 | 10:57 a.m.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- House leaders and the governor's budget secretary emerged from another round of talks on slot machines Monday with no agreement on a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize slots, but they will keep talking -- at least for a while.

House Speaker Michael Busch, who favors a constitutional amendment that would let voters decide whether to authorize slot machines, said after the meeting that he should know in about two weeks whether it is feasible to call a special session of the Legislature to try to put an amendment on the November ballot.

"I think it's the governor's last chance" to get something done on slots before next year, Busch said.

James "Chip" DiPaula, Gov. Robert Ehrlich's budget secretary, said Ehrlich thinks a referendum is unnecessary, but "would take a look at it and consider it."

"We need to see their bill. Then we can talk about the nature of implementation later," he said.

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