Casino bill poised to pass Baldacci: ‘I’m going to veto it’

AUGUSTA – In a historic development Thursday, a bill that would pave the way for a tribal racetrack and casino in Washington County received final and all-but-final approval respectively in the House and Senate.

The measure could reach Gov. John E. Baldacci’s desk today where the legislation faces a dead-on-arrival reception.

“If it reaches my desk, I’m going to veto it,” Baldacci vowed Thursday afternoon. “Casinos in Washington County are not sustainable economic development. The state Department of Economic and Community Development has a full complement of efforts and strategies to help grow Washington County’s economy.”

Whatever the state has up its sleeve for Maine’s poorest county, nothing was looking as good to the state’s Indian tribes and some eastern Maine lawmakers as the potential gambling profits provided under LD 1573. The bill would allow Maine’s Passamaquoddy Tribe to operate up to 1,500 slot machines, a horse-racing track and, potentially, a high-stakes bingo hall, hotel and other facilities.

Sponsored by Passamaquoddy Tribal Rep. Frederick Moore, the bill requires proceeds to be distributed, in part, to Maine’s three other tribes, county development initiatives, and provide dedicated funds benefiting the harness racing industry and college scholarships. The bill also requires municipal approval to operate slot machines before the tribe will be eligible to receive a slots-operating license at whatever location they select.

The bill was enacted without debate Thursday by lawmakers in both bodies. It was approved finally 87-46 in the House and received a 19-15, all-but-final approval vote in the Senate. Sen. Kevin L. Raye, R-Perry, said proponents of the bill “had done their legwork” prior to Thursday’s votes, effectively rendering further debate unnecessary.

Still, the legislation faces not only opposition from the governor – whose veto would have to be overturned by two-thirds of the lawmakers present and voting – but also from opposing forces concerned over the expansion of commercial gambling in the state.

Some lawmakers from the Bangor area worried over the impact the casino could have on the planned opening of a $30 million racino facility planned for the Queen City – the only city now eligible to host the 1,500 slot machines allowed under state law. Meanwhile, the Portland-based anti-gambling group Casinos No! has threatened to lend its financial resources to a struggling effort to outlaw all slots in the state should the Washington County effort win approval in Augusta.

Pending a final vote in the Senate, which could be taken today, Raye plans to confront the most formidable opposition first – namely the promised veto from Baldacci.

“I’m hopeful that Gov. Baldacci will do the right thing for the people of Washington County and for Maine’s Native Americans,” Raye said. “I know that when he was a state senator, he co-sponsored the casino bill for the tribes 12 years ago because he recognized the economic conditions that existed in Washington County. Those conditions have not improved. If anything, they’ve worsened.”

Passamaquoddy Tribal Rep. Moore said a unique moment had finally arrived for the tribes, the people of Washington County, the horsemen’s associations and the state fairs – all of whom will benefit from LD 1573.

“We see this vote resulting in the opportunity for a partnership between the native people of this state and the state of Maine,” he said. “We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time and the Legislature has finally said ‘yes.’ Now it’s up to the interested parties to sit down and make it work.”

The Senate vote did not necessarily fall exclusively along party or regional lines, although more of the southern Maine senators voted against the bill than for it. Sen. Peter Mills, R-Skowhegan, opposed the legislation because he doesn’t “like gambling bills in general”.

“I don’t think they add anything to the Maine economy,” Mills said. “I would almost do anything else for Washington County to improve economic development there than to vote for this kind of thing.”

In a prepared statement, Rep. Anne Perry, D-Calais, argued the track presented a much-needed economic opportunity for Washington County, bringing jobs to the region and providing some betting proceeds for other development projects throughout the county.

“This project could be the beginning of a stronger and brighter future for Washington County,” she said. “This bill is about bringing agri-business back to rural Maine. You can focus on gambling, but slots were approved to save Maine harness racing. The tribal racino will bring back the horsemen and horses that have been a part of our culture and our community for years. The racetrack will bring many new people and new opportunities to Washington County.”