Survey Results, Call for Referendum on Slots
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AARP in Maryland today called for legislators to give the state's residents a voice in the decision to legalize slot machines. The organization also released a survey showing the majority of Marylanders age 50 and older are in favor of legalizing slot machines.
"We applaud the Governor for being open to a referendum, and we call on our elected leaders to put the question of slots before the voters of Maryland," said AARP Maryland State Director Joseph DeMattos, Jr. "We have asked older Marylanders how they feel about this issue; the state's elected leaders should do the same for all Marylanders."
The survey, conducted in February 2007, found that nearly six in ten Marylanders age 50 and older strongly (36%) or somewhat (23%) support allowing slot machines at limited locations in Maryland, such as race tracks.
If slot machines are legalized in Maryland, more than three-fourths of residents age 50 and older support using the revenue to expand home- and community-based services, which include home-delivered meals and home health aides. Nearly seven in ten thought it important to use revenue generated from legalized slot machines for education funding.
Spending items prioritized by survey respondents for the use of potential slots revenue include:
- lower costs on prescription drugs for low- and moderate-income Maryland residents (71%)
- Maryland's elementary schools and university system (69%)
- long-term care, such as nursing-home care or assisted living facilities (61%)
"These budget priorities are not just the issues of older Marylanders, but the issues of Maryland," DeMattos concluded.
The survey was commissioned by AARP Maryland to explore the attitudes and opinions among Maryland residents age 50 and older. A total of 801 Maryland residents participated in the survey, yielding a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
Complete survey results are available online.
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