PARIS — Investors in the proposed $184 million casino and resort have signed an option for land in Oxford, one of them said Thursday night.
Both sides of the statewide casino question demonstrate outside Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Thursday night, where a public informational meeting was held by backers of the proposed $184 million development.
About 150 people listen as Rob Lally, co-owner of Mt. Abram ski resort, speaks about the proposed $184 million casino and resort at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Thursday. Lally is one of the investors in Black Bear Entertainment, developers of the project.
Dr. Thomas Hewson, his wife, Kerry, 3-year-old daughter, Lauren, and 2-year-old son, Grady, of Norway attend the public informational meeting on the proposed Oxford casino Thursday night in Paris. The Hewsons recently moved from Detroit, a city with three casinos, Thomas Hewson said.
Rob Lally, co-owner of Mt. Abram ski resort in Greenwood, speaks about the proposed $184 million casino and resort during a public informational meeting at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Thursday. Lally is an investor in the project.
“It's over 100 acres. It's a beautiful piece of land,” investor Bob Bahre told the Sun Journal after the public informational meeting on the proposed development.
Bahre, one of the investors with casino developer Black Bear Entertainment, said a deposit has been made on the property and will be forfeited after 30 days if the statewide vote on Nov. 2 to allow the casino fails.
“That's only right,” he said of the agreement. He declined to elaborate further about the deal or location of the land.
About 150 people — some for, some against the casino — attended the meeting sponsored by the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce and held at The Forum at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School. Chamber directors previously voted to back the casino question on the ballot.
Dozens of proponents, wearing white "Yes on 1" T-shirts and carrying signs demonstrated peacefully outside the school, as did opponents wearing yellow neon T-shirts. Some passed out literature to those entering the building.
Both sides were told from the start that the session was informational only.
“This is a non-adversarial event. Everyone understand? Got it? This is a non-adversarial event,” warned chamber Executive Director John Williams. He introduced Rob Lally, co-owner of Mt. Abram ski resort in Greenwood and an investor in Black Bear Entertainment.
Also present were investors Steve Barber, former president and CEO of Barber Foods in Portland; Rupert and Suzanne Grover of Grover Gundrilling in Norway; Jim Boldebook, founder of Creative Broadcast Concepts, an auto ad firm in Biddeford; Bahre of Alton, N.H., former owner of Oxford Plains Speedway and New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon; and his son and business partner, Gary Bahre, also of Alton, N.H.
“It's what makes us very unique this time around,” said Lally of the investors. Two years ago a similar plan by an outside group to operate a casino in Oxford Hills failed in a statewide referendum.
Lally said an operator is going to be hired who could come from outside of Maine but, he stressed, “We're going to stay in control.”
“The most exciting thing about this is the jobs,” he said. There will be 1,700 permanent, year-round new jobs with an annual payroll of more than $80 million, he asserted.
“These are all jobs we're committed to going to the people of Oxford, the people of Maine,” Lally said. “Whenever possible,” Maine companies will be hired for construction and other jobs, he added.
“We will create jobs now,” he said.
He said the casino will generate $60 million is tax revenue, of which $1 million will go directly to Oxford County, and a large percentage into the state's education funds.
Local business owners and others questioned Lally about the possibility of their good help being lured to casino jobs, the possible negative effects, such as drunken driving and embezzlement, from having a casino and how much of the money spent at the casino would come from outside of Maine.
While Lally said an estimated 30 percent of the casino visitors will be out-of-state tourists, casino opponent Scott Vlaun challenged that statement saying that leaves 70 percent of Mainers putting their own money into the operation. Vlaun then asked how much of the “Maine” money would stay with the operator/owner, which brought investor Jim Boldebook to his feet declaring, “People have a choice to spend their money.”
Lally assured the audience, which included area town officials, residents, small business owners and others, that tourists who come to the Oxford Hills casino will also spend money at other businesses in the area.
“The rising tide raises the ships,” he said in reference to one business helping others in the area.
Question 1 on the Nov. 2 ballot asks statewide voters if they want to allow a casino with table games and slot machines at a single site in Oxford County.
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Opponents making no sense
What is it with the casino opponents having a fit over Mainers spending their own money at a casino? Can you tell me how this is any different than spending money at most other entertainment sites? Does all the money from movie theatres, concerts, Sea Dog games, just to name a few, stay right here in Maine? For that matter, does most of the money spent at any business end up staying here? Is playing slot machines or card games not a valid form of entertainment? You people are just not making any sense. You worry about the casino owners making a profit. Guess what? That is why people open businesses. Yes, this type of business generates a lot more revenue than most. So what? The casino will be paying a lot more in taxes than any other type of business as well.
Here's another way to look at it. Not to say that the state is run in any sort of a responsible manner, but Maine needs more money. Nobody wants to see higher income taxes, sales taxes or any other sort of taxes, which would end up affecting everyone. If the taxes come from a casino, then the only people paying that money are the people, residents and out-of-staters, who choose to play at the casino. Yet everyone benefits, even you folks who are so against the casino. Let people have their entertainment and maybe even win some money at the same time, while providing tax revenue and jobs that will benefit us all. I promise that nobody at any time will force you to go there.
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Mendros didn't get his group fined $50,000 for lying about lobbying like Peter Martin did to Oxford.
I'll take a competent honest guy I don't like over a guy who gets his clients fined.
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Correct me if i am wrong, didn't mendros get convicted in a criminal court of forging petitions a few years back....also check with the maine ethics commision as your statements regarding martin is wrong...try calling Jonathan Wayne as he could probably stairghten you out.
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Mendros never forged anything and never got in trouble for forging anything and has never even been accused of forging anything. He notarized a petition through a window without talking tot he person or administering the oath.
Amanda Arsenault was caught forging and she worked for Peter Martin, long before Martin hired Mendros to salvage the Washington county petition drive.
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I stand corrected on the forgery you are correct, it was the other petition violation he was nailed on.
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wrong again. The crime was technical in nature and his notary was never even suspended.
You guys really hate someone you obviously never met. I've met him 3 times and its obvious the guy is not dishonest. Just sloppy with no attention to detail.
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what he's sleeping with.
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Mendros was found guilty of falsley notarsing petitions, paid a fine and had his notary privaleges taken away did he not?
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Given those involved in this venture, Oxford VS Lewiston. The Lewiston crowd led by the 'Don't look like he's starving' Monstrosity clearly should be given the heave ho! GO OXFORD COUNTY.
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I say to the Yes sayers. It makes more sense in Lewiston. Oxford had their chance. It works in Bangor it will work in Lewiston.
The Lewiston guys are willing to share the wealth with the downtown businesses. These guys want to build it on 100 acres with no other business around except stores and restaurants they own.
Bangor did wonders up there and we have had high unemployment and poverty for decades in LA, not for a year or two like Oxford.
Look at the numbers. The Lewiston Casino creates the same jobs and gives $1 million more back to the state. The Oxford gives $13 million more per year to the owners.
Oxford is a bad deal for L-A and the entire state.
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Many people in the Oxford Hills and in Maine are hurting in the worst economy since the Great Depression. It is only natural that they should be looking for answers and a cure for their economic pain. My family and I have also been struggling in this economy, but economic deprivation and despair is still not a reason to vote "yes" on 1.
Casinos do not bring widespread prosperity. As an individual who was raised in the shadow of the Atlantic City casinos, I can tell you what they do bring. They bring bottom of the barrel, minimum wage jobs to the locals, while all of the big profits are pocketed by the investors and by the management teams. In the case of an Oxford casino, the management team would almost certainly - and necessarily - be from away because we simply do not have the industry expertise in this state. Casinos also bring crime of every stripe, and infrastructure demands that the backers promise will be paid for or self sustaining, but never are. Additionally, property taxes do NOT go down or even remain level. The need for more infrastructure, more law enforcement, more emergency personnel, and other related expenses overwhelms the existing tax base - including the casino itself - and families that have lived in these locations for generations are soon forced out when they can no longer afford to live there.
The investors and the out of state management teams still can afford the area, however, so they're ok with it.
As for the money promised to the schools, this often is not a sustainable promise either. In the area where I was raised schools did not benefit. In fact, the increase in population relative to any income promised was not a winning equation. My public high school was not of great quality - then, or now, decades after the casino way of life destroyed much of southern NJ.
Additionally, Maine has a brand. That "brand" - the reason why tourists come to Maine - has nothing to do with gambling, glitz, or cheap thrills (or gambling addiction, prostitution, drug abuse, what have you, that come along with casinos). People come to Maine - and spend their money here - for our pristine natural environment - for a way of living and vacationing they can't get anywhere else. We can capitalize on that more than we do through other initiatives. We do not need a casino that looks more like a Cabela's (a caricature, in other words) than an authentic Maine structure. It is clear just from the design of the complex that the people involved do not "get" Maine or why people come here to spend their money. How about getting rid of onerous "hospitality" taxes the squash tourist industry entrepreneurship? How about making Maine more competitive and more inviting to legitimate businesses in tourism, manufacturing, etc?
I am often dismissed as "someone from away" but I want to address that right here and now. I live in Maine by choice, out of sheer love for the place. I have been here a very long time and my grandparents were here even longer, raised my family here, contributed significantly to the economy here, have sacrificed financially by living here, and hope to die and be buried here. In my work I see struggling families every single day. I am not ignorant of the economic suffering that exists here. And it is BECAUSE of that, that I will vote NO on 1. Because I know that the promises made by a handful of wealthy investors are largely empty, or at a minimum grossly overstated. Please check the facts from other casino communities. Don't sell out our beautiful Oxford Hills, or our incomparable state, to empty promises and a project incompatible with our long term way of life. Just say "NO.""
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Before I vote yes on 1, I want a few questions answered.
How do they come up with 1700 or is it 3000 jobs? I spent a number of years working in the casinos in Reno and best as I can figure for a 200 - 500 room 5 star hotel plus spa/ 2 restaurants/casino I come up with 600-750 people. What are the other 1000-2300 people going to do?
How many rooms is the hotel going to have? 200 as stated last night or 500 as stated in earlier literature?
How many out of state people are expected, 80% as stated initially, 50% as stated a little while ago or 30% as stated last night?
Who is going to operate the casino and how much of the profits are they going to demand? Contrary to popular belief running a profitable casino is not easy. Certainly Harrahs or MGM or someone of similar reputation could do it but they are not going to come cheap?
What happens if they open 3 casinos in Mass and a couple more in New Hampshire and gas goes back to 5+ dollars a gallon. Then who is going to come besides us??
I would like to see jobs as much as the next person. But I would also like to see answers besides "just trust us" . These guys are gonna be rich wether the casino works or fails. And they can move on whenever they want.
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Looks like 1700 on site at full build out with 1000 more from off site build out........
I have never read 500 rooms where is that in print.
i have never seen 80% out of state figure please show the quote
what does it matter what the managment compnay will cost, come out of the faciltiy bottom line, that Black bears problem...wouldn't you want the best.
what about outside casino pressure, guess if Black bears business plan isn't solid then they are going to have problems, not our concern...it is Black Bears..whats your point.
Why will they be rich if it fails...do you think the 165 million they have to come with just goes away.
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Of course I would ask questions when a big box store opens. Why wouldn't anyone? Questions lead to discussions and hopefully, eventually some level of truth. Box stores do some good and they have done a lot of damage to local business. It would be great if the world was black and white. It would make these sorts of decisions much easier. But of course there are many shades of gray and the more we all think, and question the better off we'll be.
I think I made a mistake with the 500 rooms it was a 500 seat convention center that I was remembering so get rid of 300 rooms and add the convention center and you get about 750 employees. Which is interesting as that is more or less the number I just found when looking for a 500 room quote (see http://www.mainebiz.biz/article.php?RF_ITEM[]=Article$0@46563;Article). This article states 800 jobs. Which is believable, and far below 1700. But of course 1700 makes better headlines.
I can't find the 80% quote again, yet, but I will post it if I do. 50% comes from a brochure called "You Decide" which also mentions 1000 jobs. Again a different number!
What do you mean, what does it matter what it will cost. If the operator takes 50% of the profits or 40 or 30 or 20 that is a heck of a lot of money leaving the state never to return. If the majority of that comes from Maine residents then in my mind that is a problem. Not their problem but our problem.
And if you think for 1 minute that they (the local investment group) is going to put in $165 million of there personal money you are being naive. They will find investors who understand the risk and will be able to absorb the loss, no problem.
So my question remains, what is the truth? And why does their story keep changing?
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To all the whinners, naysayers and the vote NO people what is your solution to bring jobs, dignity and respect back to the Oxford County area ? They have yet to come up with anything concrete that would bring promise of jobs. We need this casino and need it now. So many families are enduring such financial hardships, going thru personal banruptcy falling deeper and deeper into a balck hole of debt. We cannot continue on this path of destruction the welfare purses are stretched beyond belief, such desparity all around. People of Oxford vote YES on 1, send a message loud and clear you want this, you want jobs, you want prosperity!!!
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Oxford '08 had a 10 year monopoly. Oxford '10 has a 100 mile permanent monopoly. It is even worse than the last bill.
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The 100 miles provision has been law since 2003 when the racino legislation was passed. The majority of Maine voters endorsed it. Just another PR scam Penn national is promoting, it was thier law.....BTW your beloved Lewiston proposal that you support has kept the 100 miles provision in thier language as well but has exempted oxford so lewiston could pass. In other words you can vote for Oxford and it will have no effect on Lewiston.
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The 100 miles provision has been law since 2003 when the racino legislation was passed. The majority of Maine voters endorsed it. Just another PR scam Penn national is promoting, it was thier law.....BTW your beloved Lewiston proposal that you support has kept the 100 miles provision in thier language as well but has exempted oxford so lewiston could pass. In other words you can vote for Oxford and it will have no effect on Lewiston.
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I would support the Oxford casino if they hadn't sleazed the process by wanting a monopoly for ten years. The state has screwed the native Americans who wanted to build a casino years ago. Hollywood Slots / Penn national has invested millions in their hotel racino complex in Bangor and now the jokers behind the Oxford casino want to screw them. If they had left the free market open so that additional casinos could have a chance at getting approved that would have been fair. They have already shown how they would "Fix the Game" by writing legislation that stacks the deck for them. Shame on them. Maine people should see through this ploy and reject their casino based solely on fair play.
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You are refering to language from the 2008 referendum. I would suggest you call Bob Welch at the maine gambling Control board at 6963901 as he will explain to you there is nothing in the 2010 language that would prohibt any future gaming expansion of any kind with the preserntation of a bill or referendum to the legislature. This pr scam is being back by Penn National that only wants to keep thier own gaming monopoly and own the entire state, its pitiful.
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There is no 10 year monopoly in the oxford 2010 referendum you are refering to 2008. There is nothing in the Oxford 2010 refendum that stops or prohibits any group or individual from aquirng thier own casino with a leghislative bill or referendum in the future. You need to take a civic lesson or have a true understanding of our legislative system. This Penn National PR move is nothing but a smokescreen to trick the public into thinking it is unfair. The only unfair thing is Penn national trying to keep a monoploy on maine gaming. I would call Bob Welch at the Maine gambling control Board 6263901, the excutive director becuase if you don't believe me, Bob will striaghten you out.
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Oxford County has desperately needed jobs for years! I hope the casino vote passes--maybe I'll move back to Maine & get a job in the casino!!
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I hear that argument and it does not make sense. Of course they will have to bring in expericnced people in certian positions but the majority of the jobs will go to maine people, averaging about 35K a year with benefits. tell an out of work person in Oxford or Androscoggin county we should be thumbing our noses at that. We have a great work force they would be stupid not to use them. It sounds like your wife is exaclty the type of teacher we should be saving not being put out to pasture. Great teachers need to be rewarded, bad teachers need to go! Go see the movie "waiting for superman" and decide for yourself if we are creating a generation of sub standard educaters and uneducated and uninformed students. This nation better wake up or we are going to be left in the dust!!!!! VOTE YES ON 1
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When will Maine announce an industrial manufacturing company setting up shop and employing 500, offering jobs with benefits and living wages. It's demoralizing that Maine and America for that matter, is swallowing Casino garbage and call center jobs. Boy-oh-boy, haven't those low wage call center jobs done wonders for the economy in Maine and elsewhere? Ever wonder why Vegas has so many Pawn Shops? Ever wonder what the "social spending" cost of a Casino would be for Maine? You should. Casinos are a blight offering nothing but heartache and like Wal Mart, they suck up money and prosperity with very little actual prosperity in return.
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The study they quote says these are not new jobs. They are jobs that will be lost in Auburn from closed restaurants and moved to Oxford.
Its not 2700 new jobs, its only 2700 jobs in Oxford. And they still won't tell us where they want to build. Why the secrecy?
It makes a lot more sense in downtown LA.
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I have lived in this area all but 5 years of my life so far. I remember when Robert Bahre moved here i admit i was a young man at the time. From the time he came here he has worked his ass off to better this area. he created jobs, housing, income for lots of people who had very little. He would have done even more if the thick headed people in the area, mostley out of staterswho voted no on the expansion of the racetrack. If they had voted for that we may not have needed a casino. I guess people think he is involved now because his bank account is getting low. Well i dont. I still think he has the best interest of the people in mind. I would guess all his projects havn`t been winners but i`m betting this one will be. What will we have to lose. Since BOB moved to N.H. i have seen my home town go to hell in a handbasket. Most everything he has a hand in turns into a gold mine. Have you checked the price of gold today?
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First, do you really think that Mainers are going to get the high paying jobs? I doubt it. Second, if you think times are tough now, wait until those that are struggling now try to hit that one big payoff only to lose everything. About teachers, my wife taught for approximately 35 years. She was a music teacher. She not only taught instrumental, but did chorus and general music. She also gave free guitar lessons before and after school. She offered holiday musicals in the fall which she did on her own time. She would attend her students sporting events. She had 2 years to go for retirement but was laid off this summer and replaced with a kid out of college to save money. Tell me if the system is fair
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I hear that argument and it does not make sense. Of course they will have to bring in expericnced people in certian positions but the majority of the jobs will go to maine people, averaging about 35K a year with benefits. tell an out of work person in Oxford or Androscoggin county we should be thumbing our noses at that. We have a great work force they would be stupid not to use them. It sounds like your wife is exaclty the type of teacher we should be saving not being put out to pasture. Great teachers need to be rewarded, bad teachers need to go! Go see the movie "waiting for superman" and decide for yourself if we are creating a generation of sub standard educaters and uneducated and uninformed students. This nation better wake up or we are going to be left in the dust!!!!! VOTE YES ON 1
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I still don't like the wording of these articles. Black Bear is proposing a RESORT that offers gaming. Also if Casino's No is against gambling and gaming and all that. Why haven't they been working to shut down the Lottery or Powerball? People here are really right on. The state currently is a giant sink hole of spending. The taxes promised with this resort, will just disappear into that magical black hole called the "GENERAL FUND." But, Oxford County is one of the most beautifull places on earth, we need a new Resort there. Vote Yes
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it's about time
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Maine always seems to be against anything that will bring jobs to the people. It's ok that they go to people everyplace else. Had several chances for liquid natural gas plant but of course the governor didn't want those and they went other places. Now if I lived in a state with one of the highest poverty rates in the nation, I think I would tend to vote for things that would bring these jobs to my state.
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The real problem here is that giving the communites more tax money won't fix a thing. Our gov't thinks that throwing more money at something is the solution. Education doesn't need more money. It needs to have the pensions gone, reduce the high paying redundant salaries and postions, and get off the "no child left behind" format. We need to cut spending big time. Until that happens I don't want our gov't to get any more money regardless of the jobs that are created. We need jobs but the system needs to be fixed first!
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More money will sure fix a lot of things.. But I do agree that the wastefull spending in this state needs to stop...Teachers are extremely important though. Cutting thier salaries is not the answer.. Thier pay should be based on performance and the unions need to be restructured to be fair to the employee and the tax payer...I am tired of seeing the terrible teachers with tenure make more than the new teacher with a more current education and a much better ability to develope comprehensive teaching strategies that bring our kids to above average levels. Performance should dictate pay...
However imagine how well our educational system could be doing in our state if we stopped the wastefull spending, allowed our schools to hire the best teachers available and had plenty of $$$ to develope a cutting edge educational system that is above par in comparison to other leading states.... How great would this be for our kids and future generations..Also remember the support system employment that goes hand in hand with casinos. The potential here is limitless...This casino could be the goose that lays the golden eggs for our state. Its time!!!!
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are overpaid when a seasoned teacher of twenty years makes less tha a rookie cop who just joined the force. What's wrong is our priorities, education is more important than supporting Dunkin Donuts.
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Read my comments Tron. I never said teachers, I said, "reduce the high paying redundant salaries and positions." If that means teachers because there are too many of them then so be it but I am referring to super's and the high amount of principals, vice princapls, and all of the admin that goes with them. Having a principal with his/her own secretary and then the vice principal having his/her own secretray is wasteful and redundant. As far as police and fire, cut them too. Using the excuse that it's for the kids is getting old too. Cut spending, rework the system so it is functional instead of fat, and hold our gov't accountable for every stinking dime it takes in. I don't care if Maine has a balanced budget law either. The state can spend all it wants and just raise taxes to pay for it so it gets balanced. It's time to cut , cut, cut. In my house, we cut pay tv, raised our insurance deductables, no home phone (just cell), cook at home instead of going out, and the list oges on. Cut. cut, cut.
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The rookie cop doesn't get 3 months off a year paid.
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And furthermore, if you're trying to equate the danger a police officer faces daily, with the routine secure workplace a teacher encounters, then I've got news for you. Newark, NJ, notwithstanding.
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Bring it on I am ready to vote yes!
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Eddie...your comments are right on!
I am sick of the naysayers who don't over any alternative to growth, development and real live jobs! This is a no-brainer--- vote yes to local investors...local jobs
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This is being put together backwards. Every other place in the country, where casinos recently have been created, are first voting to approve, then coming up with sites, plans, investors, operators etc. Case in point is Indiana, over a decade ago their referendum allowed for a certain number of riverboat casinos in designated zones. Once that was approved then experienced casino operators came to the sate with their plans and proposals. It ended up being a bidding war between companies, and the winner was Indiana. Billions of dollars got thrown at the state, money that was used for infrastructure improvements, school upgrades you name it. The state got to set the ground rules on exactly where the money goes, and the results for them have been stellar. What Maine gets, again, is a company formed behind closed doors, one that set the ground rules themselves, and is giving us nothing but promises. Casino operators can make billions of dollars per year, if they do it right. Let's thing very very hard before we hand over the reins to a group of people that has never run gambling operations of any kind.
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"experienced casino operators"
You mean organized crime families.
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Maine long ago should have set a clear path for casino expansion and now it is too late. Gov baldy by vetoing evey gaming expansion bill in Maine has forced these referendums to take place as the only way the issue is dealt with. But don't think Maine has been shortchanged as they have not. The racino in Bangor and The Oxford Resort at a tax rate of 46% on gross revenue are one of the highhtest gaming tax rates in Americia. Maine is getting more then thier fair share particualrly with The Oxford referendum as most of the taxes go directly to k-12 eudcation all over Maine. The Oxford group will retian an experienced gaming operator that will pass the scrutiny of the Maine gaming control board. These operations are the most highly regulated busisnesess in the world.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.WELL ITS TIME TO GO TO ANOTHER [DOCTOR]
DOC HEW WE DON;T WANT YOU ANY MORE .DO YOU KNOW THAT A HUGE PART OF SICKNESS IS BEING OUT OF WORK???///OH THAT WHY YOU SAY [[NO]] TO GET MORE SICK PEOPLE.................BUT SOME DIE DOC FROM BROKEN HEARTS FROM LOOSING THERE HOMES AND OTHERS DIE FROM NO FOOD!!!!!!!!HOW YOU FEEL TO [NO] NOW DOC??????????????????????????? MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE....
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I don't have a problem with the Casino. I do have a problem with how referendums are run. What is this the 5-6 time a casino question has been on the ballot. I guess their plan is working. Keep bringing it up until it gets a yes vote.
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Very well said eddie! Enough already! This state NEEDS jobs..it is a proven FACT that bus loads of MAINE people LEAVE this state weekly to go to Foxwoods and Moheagen Sun..keep our Maine money HERE...keep our Maine people WORKING...It is not just the government in this state that screws us...it is people like casino's NO and Dennis Bailey, and all the out of state tree huggers, who constantly protest any new adventures in this state. Can't have casino's , can't have wind power which means NO JOBS and NO MONEY coming into this state.....Grow a set Dennis Bailey and casino's no people and let Maine finally get jobs and income.
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Talk about money leaving Maine. The statistics are stagering over 150 million spent by Maine people in Ct casinos in the last 5 years. FOR WHAT!!!! We send our citizens by car and bus to CT and all they are doing supporting jobs in CT and sending millions to the Ct treasury....isn't it about time we start supporting Maine people and putting the money to use right here!
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I thought Maine people were over taxed and underpaid. Yet, they can manage to spend 150 million dollars gambling in Connecticut?
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The No people have been fear mongering for years and to this day the only job they have created is Dennis Bailey. We now have 5 repsected Maine businesspeople ready able and willing to invest 165 million dollars to create jobs with benefits and send deperatly needed funding to K-12 education all over Maine. Hell Androscoggin County will recieve over 2 million with about $700,000 going to Lewiston each and every year. I am tired of hearing people say "can't we do better then this" offering no solution and just complain. Is casino gambling ever going to be the economic polocy that will drive Maine, of course it won't, but a modest resort in Oxford County will not change the image or fabric of Maine. Dont let the fear mongers win again. It's time to take charge and send the No People packing. It's time to vote YES ON 1.
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