Maryland’s booming casino industry, despite politicians’ promises, has failed to bring in more revenue for local school districts, according to the Baltimore Sun.
The Baltimore school district, for example, faces a $129 million shortfall this year despite the fact that a local casino, the Horseshoe Casino, contributed $200 million to the state’s Education Trust Fund. In total, the casino industry has contributed $1.7 billion toward the state’s Education Trust Fund since voters approved the casino gambling seven years ago.
Across the country, state politicians often dedicate mineral, cigarette tax, and gambling revenue toward school funds and then, instead of adding to existing education funds, as many voters anticipated, the tax revenue otherwise spent on education ends up plugging other holes in state budgets and cutting taxes.
