PARIS — The town of Paris will host a forum with members of the Oxford Hills area legislative delegation to request a cut of casino funds.
The casino referendum passed in November promised percentages of the casino revenue would be funneled to areas such as education, a fund for harness racing, the town of Oxford, Oxford County and other funds.
Although Oxford County will receive a percentage, some towns bordering Oxford, such as Poland and Mechanic Falls, won’t receive direct funding from casino revenue. Local town managers and selectmen will request legislators add cut local towns into the shared casino revenue.
Paris Town Manager Phil Tarr said the intent of the meeting is to create a regional fund for local towns to use for police, fire and roads to alleviate strain resulting from the casino’s presence. Paris, Norway, Poland and Mechanic Falls will be represented at the meeting.
He said he wasn’t sure yet what the possible effects of the casino would be.
“Oxford happened to be selected early on. The town very nicely, and to their credit, negotiated a pretty good arrangement with Black Bear,” Tarr said. “I just think that probably should be spread out a bit further than just the town of Oxford.”
He said the intent is not to take extra money from the casino but to get a slice of the existing shared funds. He pointed to the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe, which will share 4 percent of revenues, as groups that have nothing to lose from the casino’s presence in Oxford County.
“There ought to be some room in that 4 percent for the local towns here,” Tarr said. He said he is pro-Native American but that 4 percent seems like a large amount.
He said he didn’t have a percentage in mind for the regional fund. “We’re asking for the opportunity to speak to our legislators, and say, ‘We, too, have some interest in this.’”
Tarr said Rep. Teresea Hayes, Rep. Tom Winsor, Rep. Jim Hamper, Rep. Michael McClellan and Sen. Dave Hastings have been invited. Residents are invited to come and speak, too.
The meeting is set for 10 a.m. Friday at the Paris Fire Station.
treaves@sunjournal.com
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