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Maryland Senate approves gambling measure

By WTOP Staff

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Senate approved a bill Friday night that will expand gambling in the state by adding a sixth casino site in Prince George’s County and allow table games at all gambling locations.

Gov. Martin O’Malley, D, has said that his gambling expansion bill would lead to job growth and additional funding for education. The changes contained in the legislation could net $223 million in additional annual revenue for the state, according to an analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Senators spent much of the afternoon rejecting amendments, including one that would have lifted a provision in the bill to ban political contributions from casino owners.

O’Malley included the ban in the measure he has submitted to the General Assembly. The governor wanted it to apply to contributions from casino owners and certain employees of gambling companies, but a Senate committee changed the provision to include people with 5 percent ownership in a casino.

The chamber also rejected amendments from Frederick County Sens. Ron Young and David Brinkley.

Young, D-District 3, proposed an amendment that would allow nonprofit fraternal, religious and veterans groups to own up to five slot machines.

State law already allows nonprofit slot machines on the Eastern Shore, but not in other jurisdictions.

A bill to allow nonprofit slot machines throughout the state has passed through the Senate unanimously twice, but later failed in the House Ways and Means Committee.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said that although he’d previously supported stand-alone bills, he voted against Young’s amendment and a similar one that would have covered the entire state because he didn’t want to complicate the gambling bill with an issue known to be unfavorable to the Ways and Means Committee.

“Combined in this bill, it jeopardizes $200 million and 7,000 jobs,” Miller explained.

The amendment failed 24-16.

Brinkley, R-District 4, introduced an amendment that would have changed state law to allow a casino operator to hold more than one site license within the state. The goal was to protect the horse breeding industry, Brinkley said. Rosecroft Raceway, a harness track in Fort Washington that is one of the potential sites in Prince George’s County, is run by Penn National Gaming, which also owns Hollywood Casino Perryville.

Without a change in the state law, Penn National would have to choose between one site or the other if it has the winning bid for the Prince George’s location.

“I do not want this sixth license to be a coronation for one site on the Potomac River,” Brinkley said.

His amendment failed 31-12.

Brinkley and Young supported the final Senate version of the gambling bill, which passed 28-14.

“I’ve been supportive of some gambling in the state because we are losing money to other states and because it does bolster the horse racing industry, which helps the agriculture industry,” Brinkley said. “And, ultimately, the voters have the final say.”

The General Assembly’s second special session this year was called by O’Malley on July 27 so a constitutional amendment can be drafted before the November general election.

The bill was still under consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday night. A subcommittee on gambling is expected to meet today to consider amendments. The full House of Delegates is expected to convene and consider amendments on Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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