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Friday, March 30, 2007
AUGUSTA - The Passmaquoddy Tribe's legislative representative said Thursday he is optimistic the full Legislature will approve a bill allowing a tribal-run harness racing track with slot machines now that a legislative committee has endorsed the proposal.
The Legislature's Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 12-1 Wednesday in support of a plan to allow a racino in Washington County. The committee vote came a little more than two months after the secretary of state verified enough signatures on a citizen initiative to place the measure before the Legislature.
If the proposal fails in the Legislature, it would go to residents for a statewide vote in November, said Rep. Donald Soctomah, the Passamaquoddy tribal representative.
A racino resort -- with a hotel, a conference center and restaurants -- would go a long way toward helping Washington County, where poverty and unemployment rates are double the state average and annual incomes are the lowest in Maine, he said.
"That part of the state seems to be forgotten when it comes to economic development," he said. "This isn't a cure-all. It's just a first step to bringing tourists to the area as a destination point."
The committee vote is one step in a multistep process the proposal must go through before it eventually is approved or rejected, either by legislators or voters.
Opposition is likely to come from the antigambling group Casinos No!, which led the campaign that successfully opposed a proposed $650 million casino project that the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes sought to build in southern Maine.
Gov. John Baldacci also opposes racino development in the state, and he vetoed racino legislation in 2005 that would have allowed the tribe to operate a harness racing track with slot machines in Washington County.
Soctomah said he is hopeful that Baldacci would let the bill become law this time around if legislators pass it. If not, he thinks enough legislators might support the effort to override a veto.
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There isn't a single Native American alive today who has had his land taken, no one alive today who's parents, or even grandparents were "displaced" by the white Europeans.
My family moved to America after the Native Americans were booted from their land. They moved here after slavery was ended. None of my relatives did it. Why should we still continue paying?
The government should make this a casion-rich state.
How is it that the city of Bangor was given $17 million by Hollywood Slots as their share in just the first year, but nobody is calling this a good thing and something other communities should be able to enjoy.report abuse
Under his term in office including his predecessor Ex Gov. King who is also anti-gambling the created massive expansion of the State Lottery including bringing Powerball to Maine. The only plan he to create jobs is have more studies and commissions for Washington County I'm sorry but commissions, taxing and borrowing money to create jobs hasn't worked for Maine including Washington County.
As someone who signed the petition to get the racino on the ballot I want to see them succeed because I believe the Angus King's, Baldacci's and Dennis Bailey's of the world have done nothing but create the mess we are in today and will do nothing more but to destroy Maine's economy and destroy the chances for the tribes and Maine residents to have prosperity.report abuse
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