Baldacci nixes tribes’ bid to operate slots

AUGUSTA – In a meeting with the governor on Tuesday to discuss economic opportunities for Maine Indians, tribal leaders asked for his support in adding slot machines to the high stakes bingo halls they already operate.

Gov. John Baldacci said no.

“We are not going to expand gambling in the state of Maine beyond what the citizens supported in the referendum,” the governor said after the closed door meeting with representatives of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation. “People voted for it. We’re going to implement it but there is not going to be an expansion beyond what was voted on, that’s it.”

Baldacci said he outlined instead “a whole list” of options ranging from the tribes developing wind power generation facilities to setting up a prescription drug importation business. He said the projects would create good paying jobs and improve the well-being of the Maine tribes.

But the tribal leaders weren’t impressed with the governor’s proposals.

Fred Moore, the Passamaquoddy representative to the Legislature, said the proposals offered during the meeting were “crumbs” and the tribes need their own economic development effort, not “welfare” from the state.

“You can paint it any color you want, but when somebody comes and gives you money for having to do nothing, that’s welfare,” he said. “We don’t want money for nothing. We want to generate money so we can employ our tribal members.”

Penobscot Nation Chief Barry Dana said the tribes want the same ability to have slot machines as was granted the to two commercial racetracks in Maine under the racino law voters approved last month. He said the tribes are willing to be subject to the same oversight as the governor is proposing for racinos.

“We are going to lose revenue in our high stakes bingo when the racino opens,” he said. “There needs to be a way to compensate for that.”

Dana did not have an estimate of what the losses would be but said nearly all of the budget for tribal government depends on the revenue from the bingo games.

“It will be significant to us,” he said.

Dana said the fairest and simplest way to provide that compensation would be to let the tribes operate the same number of slots as a racino will be allowed to operate. He said that would recognize the unique relationship between the state and the tribes.

“We should be dealing with this as between sovereigns, not as handouts,” he said.

Dana said it is time to “fix” the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980. He said it is clear there are flaws and the state and the tribes should negotiate a new agreement. He said allowing a limited amount of gambling could be part of that new agreement.

“We are not asking for anything that other tribes do not have across the country,” he said.

When told of the comments that his development proposals were no more than welfare, Baldacci defended what he outlined as solid proposals to help the tribes achieve financial security.

“They are real proposals,” he said. “I am sorry that they feel that way but I think they are real.”

Donna Loring, the Penobscot Nation representative to the Legislature, believes Maine voters would approve allowing the tribes to recoup their losses from racinos in the state by allowing the tribes to operate slot machines.

“The citizens of Maine, above all, are fair,” she said. “I think they would accept something like this.”

Moore said while the tribes will work with the governor and Legislature on the issue, they are keeping open the option of initiating legislation by petition to force a vote on the issue.