Question 3
Understanding Election Day’s ballot
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
On the Nov. 8 ballot Maine residents will be asked on the third referendum question, “Do you want to allow a casino with table games and slot machines in Lewiston, with part of the profits going to support specific state and local programs? A “yes” vote is to enact the legislation, while a “no” vote is to defeat the measure.
Under the citizen’s initiative, the bill would authorize the establishment of a slot machine facility in a municipality with a population of 30,000 in which slot machines were not in operation before July 1, 2010 if the person who applies for a license to operate holds an option to purchase property located in and owned by that municipality and approval was given by the voters of the municipality. Lewiston is Maine’s sole municipality meeting this criteria, as it is one of only three communities with a population over 30,000 and residents approved the sale of an option on city-owned property in the Bates Mill for this purpose prior to July 2010.
The bill removes the existing limit on the total number of slot machines that may be registered in Maine (1,500 machines) and replaces it with a 1,500 slot machine limit at each licensed slot machine facility. The bill provides for regulation of the slot machine facility by the Gambling Control Board. The bill exempts a slot machine facility or casino in Lewiston from the restriction in existing law that prohibits the Gambling Control Board from issuing a license located within 100 miles of another licensed slot machine facility.
The slot machine operator would be required to collect and distribute 1 percent of gross slot machine income to the state treasurer for deposit in the General Fund for the administrative expenses of the Gambling Control Board. The bill also requires the slot machine operator to collect and distribute 40 percent of net slot machine income to the board for distribution to 28 different entities in specified percentages — ranging from .5 to 3 percent — for a variety of specified purposes. The entities are comprised of economic development and transportation initiatives, as well as programs for energy conservation, water quality improvement, tourism, college scholarships, agricultural fairs, meals on wheels, home-based care for the elderly, humane societies, veterans and other charities, and funds for unrestricted use by Lewiston, Auburn and Androscoggin County.
The legislation also makes any facility that is licensed to operate slot machines, under this initiative or under existing law, automatically eligible to obtain a license for any other gambling-related activity authorized by law after July 1, 2010 regardless of the criteria imposed or required to obtain such a license. Because the voters in 2010 approved the licensing of a casino in Oxford County to operate table games as well as slot machines and the Legislature has since amended the law to allow the Hollywood Slots facility in Bangor to obtain a casino license to operate table games, a slot machine facility in Lewiston would be eligible to receive a casino license to operate table games.
If approved, this citizen initiated legislation would take effect 30 days after the Governor proclaims the official election results.
For more information, please see the Maine Citizen’s Guide, for all four ballot questions, at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2011/nov11citizensguide.pdf.
