After studying casino revenues from other states, there is no question that many millions of dollars are involved. If the current Maine casino referendum question was a straight-forward negotiated law with the state government and included public hearings, Maine could be positioned to receive considerable revenues from it for education, reduction of property taxes, the elderly, etc. However, this is not the case.

Twenty pages of law will be enacted with a yes vote on the casino, and they are warped, misleading and treacherous. They amount to a tribal treaty with Maine, but they were written 100 percent by the tribes, who gave themselves exclusive rights. Most alarming is that the representatives of the people, the Legislature, cannot change any part of them for 20 years. Basically, the Maine people are being asked to enact 20 pages of law that most are not familiar with. This is terrible public policy.

If you are against gambling, by all means vote no. If you favor gambling, vote no and petition the Legislature for a reasonable set of casino laws where the people’s representatives can prevent a wholesale scam such as this one. Maine citizens are being taken for fools that will swallow the falsehoods and exaggerations they are told on television. We must overcome those who are willing to sell Maine down the river to satisfy their yen for convenient gambling or for large profits.

Rep. Thomas F. Shields, District 72, Auburn