ANNAPOLIS -- Frederick County volunteer fire companies are protesting a bill that would take away their ability to raise money through tip jar gaming.Delegate Shane Pendergrass, a Democrat who represents Howard County, proposed the bill this week as the General Assembly convened in a special session to address the state's anticipated $1.5 billion deficit.
It would prevent Allegany, Frederick , Garrett and Washington counties from regulating the games, instead allowing tip jars only through the state lottery. In tip jar gaming, contestants pay for a chance to win cash prizes.
The House Ways and Means committee will hold a hearing on the bill today.
Pendergrass said she proposed the measure because every potential source of revenue should be examined as the state struggles for a solution to its fiscal woes. She believes state lottery sales suffer from people betting on tip jars instead of buying lottery tickets.
"Right now, my priority is making sure that we don't have to cut what we subsidize the counties," Pendergrass said.
Local firefighters say the games raise hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to buy needed emergency equipment. If they aren't allowed to include tip jar gaming, they'd likely turn to the county.
"If we don't have a funding sources to pay for buildings, to pay for apparatus, it would have to come out of the county coffers," said Chip Jewell, the Frederick County representative to the Maryland State Firemen's Association.
Delegate Rick Weldon, a Republican who represents Frederick County, said he doesn't think the bill will make it out of committee during the special session. But he does worry it could return in the future and stand a chance of passing.
"We should consider this a warm-up, because I guarantee it, if a slots referendum passes, there will be a whole series of bills to restrict other forms of gaming all over Maryland, including in Frederick County," Weldon said. "This is a good exercise, like a drill. This is coming back in January."
He urges residents to share their views with lawmakers, either through testifying at today's hearing or sending an e-mail or letter.
Pendergrass said she does not plan on bringing the legislation forward during the regular session, which begins in January, if it doesn't pass during special session. She thinks it should be directly linked to solving the state's deficit.
Weldon and other local delegates are lobbying Ways and Means Committee members against the bill because they believe tip jars are beneficial.
"There are a lot of really bad bills but I think I hate this one most of all," Weldon said. "It's simply intended to punish areas of the state that have typically supported Republican officials statewide and slots gaming locally."
Pendergrass denied those charges, saying the bill is not intended to punish anyone.
"We're not solving a partisan budget problem, we are solving a state budget problem," she said.
Frederick County's delegation has received at least 50 e-mails against the change, Weldon said.
Frederick County Commissioners President Jan Gardner said she is against the bill because it would hurt the county's fraternal organizations, nonprofit organizations and fire companies.
"I really do think it's inappropriate for someone from another county to put in a bill for counties they don't represent," Gardner said.
Delegate Paul Stull, a Republican representing Frederick and Carroll Counties, is a volunteer firefighter at Walkersville . Walkersville has been able to buy expensive imaging equipment and ambulances with proceeds from tip jars, he said.
"I think it's ridiculous, to tell the truth, and I'm going to do everything I possibly can to (ward it off) even getting out of committee," Stull said. "(Tip jars) do a whole lot of good without any problems, so why jump in and cause a whole lot of problems?"
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