I moved to Lewiston three years ago and I know the struggle my new home suffers from: poverty.
As a black man from Detroit, I know about poverty, but I never gave up. My mother raised me to have faith if I want things to improve.
The poverty I see in Lewiston is far worse than Detroit. How can an All-America city have no self-respect?
Luckily, some Lewiston residents are turning this around. They risked their money and reputation to put a casino on the 2011 ballot and bring millions of dollars in new investment to this city. They could have put it anywhere. They chose Lewiston because they believe in us.
I am proud to call Lewiston my home. We need to stop being kicked around and bullied by the rest of the state. This is our chance to stand up and be heard. Why should Bangor make millions every year from its casino? Lewiston is the same size. Why should we just roll over and let Oxford have it? Don't we need the jobs? Aren't we good enough here?
Yes, we are.
I'll be voting "no" on the Oxford casino because it makes much more sense to put it in Lewiston. Don't give up. We need to take pride in our hometown. I don't let people put me down because of my race, and I won't let them because it is where I live.
I believe in our community. We need the casino in Lewiston.
Dennis Graise, Auburn
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Start boycotting, but I am
Start boycotting, but I am sure that if people are in REAL danger, health wise, they are still headed to St. Mary's or CMMC because it is closer. Like I said feel free to start boycotting, the survival of L/A and Androscoggin county doesn't come from entirely or significantly from Oxford county. Also, why bring Franklin county, when both Casinos would benefit the region either way.
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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.Helicopters can fly right
Helicopters can fly right over lewiston and be in Portland in a matter of minutes. Remember they already do it every day for a lot of circumstances such as spinal injuries. Remember when Rumford Community Hospital screwed up with Kyle Dolloff? He had to go to Portland because there was no one in Lewiston qualified. Get burned, you aren't stopping in Lewiston. Have a baby or child in trouble, they are going to Portland. From my personal experience have a suggestion of a cardiac issue DEFINITELY do not stop at CMMC go straight to Portland. Pulmonary crisis, go to Portland. Hell we can just all go straight to Portland. Rheumotology, autoimmune, allergy, ENT, OB/GYN (I had one baby 15 minutes after I got to the hospital and now I would) GO TO PORTLAND.
Franklin County I am sure will be paying attention to how you treat the other needy neighbor who has been supporting your like they have all these decades. I am sure they are thinking it is only a matter of time before have something on the ballot they try to steal from us too. Oxford County has supported us with UMF and other things and we are going to stand by them knowing they will be there for us.
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Remember the 100 mile provision has been state law since 2003 when it was endorsed by the majority of voters in Maine. However it has no teeth and this is why....every gaming bill must either go before the legislature or to the pepole to be enacted. Any law passed today can be overidden with a new law in the next session.....the referendum being circulated for lewiston and for biddeford next year have exempted themsleves from the 100 miles. Now the proponants will not tell you tthat becuase they want you to vote no for oxford, but it is a blatant lie. You can vote for Oxford this year and vote for lewiston next year, one vote does not effect the other...and that is the truth..vote YES on 1
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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.Very true
You are right Dennis. The language of the casino issue, which will not appear on the ballot but every smart voter should read before deciding, says that no other casino could be sited within 100 miles of the Oxford facility.
Restriction of trade is not the way to deal with the issue of casino gambling. Giving 5 Mainers a casino monopoly is bad for the rest of us.
I hope that Lewiston can come up with a better deal.
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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.This arguement
has been shown over and over that Lewiston and Biddeford will be exempt from the 100 mile law. The benefits of the casino are more far reaching than simply allocating money to the surrounding counties, as well as to state programs, but the purchases from everywhere, locally and state wide to supply the restaurants, spas, hotel, etc. in the facility. I know people in the fishing and lobster industry feel this will only help. God knows they need it badly. Mitchell tells us how important educational programs are to our state but doesn't say how she will make sure those programs will be funded. The casino plan spells out how it will allocate millions to education programs. I know that Bob Bahre and the Grovers would not be involved if they didn't feel it the casino would help not only Oxford but the state of Maine as a whole.
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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.I like how you talk about
I like how you talk about living in Lewiston and then after your name, it says you live in Auburn.
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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.Are you looking for a boycott?
I grew up in Oxford County and we have always had to go to L/A for shopping and medical care. I gave birth to my children at CMMC. I can't understand how you can say your rolling over to Oxford when we have been your best customers for a century, keeping your businesses open, giving you jobs, and supporting your hospitals and doctors. I know I will be watching on Nov 2 and if I see that L/A does not support Oxford County on the Casino question I will be taking my shopping to NH which is just as close, there are lots of outlets and there is no sales tax. I will be taking my medical care to Portland where the doctors and hospitals are better, why not take 26 to the turnpike, it's a much nicer ride and only about 20 minutes more. I hope the rest of the folks in Oxford and Franklin County who travel to L/A will be watching and boycott if you folks show us no respect after all our years of faithful patronage. Don't expect our support next year when your casino initiative comes up on the ballot if you don't support us either.
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The parrot sez you won't do all those things; it reads nice, but you won't do them. The multi-colored liberal bird has spoken. AARRGHH!! 0O:-)
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Try me and the rest of us in Oxford and Franklin County the insentive of saving 6% on our shopping on tax alone never mind lower store prices is enough to make it tempting before the vote.
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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.So, let me make sure I've got
So, let me make sure I've got this right. The financial survival of the merchants and health care providers in Lewiston-Auburn are hostages to the outcome of a casino election in Oxford County? And that if the voters of L/A go against the Oxford Casino, you all will boycott L/A. AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. Nice rhetorical ring to it, but not doable to the extent that anyone will notice.
Not trying to give you a hard time, Candice; you're just slapping the wrong pony's behind.
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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.Not quite. You are holding
Not quite. You are holding them hostage to how the L/A voters vote on the Oxford casino. We in Oxford and Franklin Counties have been supporting the doctors, hospitals, resteraunts, movie theaters, and stores for decades, lets see you support us and our ability to keep doing business with you by supporting the casino initiative and the 2700 jobs that will give us more money to do business with you. If you can't support us having jobs to keep you in jobs, why would we want to help you when we can help someone else who might turn around and help us instead of stick it to us. "nice rhetorical ring to it, but not doable to the extent that anyone will notce." You might get the opportunity to find out.
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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.I don't mind if you stop
I don't mind if you stop going to the doctors & hospitals.
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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.Nice to see I'm not the only
Nice to see I'm not the only Auburn resident who gets it.
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