Post by Okwes on Apr 5, 2007 15:03:16 GMT -5
Tribe ties racino to college funding
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By PAUL CARRIER, Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
AUGUSTA ‹ Supporters of a plan to build a harness racing track with slot machines in Washington County hope to bolster legislative support for the racino proposal by earmarking a portion of the revenue for college scholarships.
The Passamaquoddy Tribe plans to announce today that it would set aside 3.5 percent of its take from the racino for scholarships at Washington County Community College, said Donald Soctomah, the tribe's representative to the Legislature. Soctomah said that could amount to about $1 million per year.
The announcement comes as the Legislature prepares to vote on a citizen-initiated bill authorizing a tribal racino in Washington County. The Hollywood Slots racino in Bangor is currently the only one allowed by state law.
Lawmakers said Tuesday that it's hard to predict whether the scholarship proposal will improve the bill's chances in the Legislature. Dennis Bailey of Casinos No!, which opposes the racino, said the tribe is simply trying to "up the ante" so legislators will approve the bill, thereby denying voters the chance to decide the issue at the ballot box.
The House of Representatives may take up the bill as soon as Thursday, paving the way for Senate action. The Legislature can either enact the bill into law or send it to voters for a binding referendum Nov. 6.
Gov. John Baldacci, who has twice vetoed pro-slots bills in the past, is promising to veto this one, too, if the Legislature passes it. It would take two-thirds votes in both branches of the Legislature to override a veto. Failing that, the proposal would go on the November ballot.
For that reason, supporters are trying to get the bill passed in the House and Senate by two-thirds margins, to make it "veto proof" and avert a potentially costly and contentious referendum campaign.
Although backers believe they have majority support in both the House and Senate, they fear their support may fall short of the two-thirds threshold.
"We wanted to make sure we had as much support as possible," Soctomah said. "This is the right time" to propose the scholarships to try to persuade undecided lawmakers to join their camp, he said.
Soctomah said the Passamaquoddy Tribe is willing to designate a share of its racino revenue for college scholarships "to show the people of the state that we're dedicated to improving our living conditions" on the tribe's reservations and throughout Washington County.
The bill initially called for the developer to keep 59 percent of the income from the racino, after prizes and funding for the state's administrative expenses. The remaining 41 percent would go to racing, health care, municipal, economic-development and educational initiatives, including the scholarships.
The plan to be announced today would add 2.5 percent of the tribe's racino revenue to the 1 percent that the bill already earmarks for Washington County Community College scholarships, boosting the total to 3.5 percent. By contrast, the law governing distribution of revenues from the Hollywood Slots racino gives 1 percent of income to the Maine Community College System for scholarships throughout the system.
The scholarship plan "will be seen as a helpful gesture" in the Legislature because lawmakers strongly support the community colleges and they want to help Washington County's economy, said House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven. But she said it remains to be seen if more scholarships will win over lawmakers who oppose expansion of gambling in Maine.
"I think the concept is helpful," said Assistant Senate Minority Leader Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport. But Rosen noted that Washington County lawmakers already back the proposed racino, so the tribe should offer scholarship funding for the Maine Community College System as a whole if it wants to win support among lawmakers from other parts of the state.
Staff Writer Paul Carrier can be contacted at 622-7511 or at:
pcarrier@pressherald.com
E-mail this page
Reader Comments (below)
By PAUL CARRIER, Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
AUGUSTA ‹ Supporters of a plan to build a harness racing track with slot machines in Washington County hope to bolster legislative support for the racino proposal by earmarking a portion of the revenue for college scholarships.
The Passamaquoddy Tribe plans to announce today that it would set aside 3.5 percent of its take from the racino for scholarships at Washington County Community College, said Donald Soctomah, the tribe's representative to the Legislature. Soctomah said that could amount to about $1 million per year.
The announcement comes as the Legislature prepares to vote on a citizen-initiated bill authorizing a tribal racino in Washington County. The Hollywood Slots racino in Bangor is currently the only one allowed by state law.
Lawmakers said Tuesday that it's hard to predict whether the scholarship proposal will improve the bill's chances in the Legislature. Dennis Bailey of Casinos No!, which opposes the racino, said the tribe is simply trying to "up the ante" so legislators will approve the bill, thereby denying voters the chance to decide the issue at the ballot box.
The House of Representatives may take up the bill as soon as Thursday, paving the way for Senate action. The Legislature can either enact the bill into law or send it to voters for a binding referendum Nov. 6.
Gov. John Baldacci, who has twice vetoed pro-slots bills in the past, is promising to veto this one, too, if the Legislature passes it. It would take two-thirds votes in both branches of the Legislature to override a veto. Failing that, the proposal would go on the November ballot.
For that reason, supporters are trying to get the bill passed in the House and Senate by two-thirds margins, to make it "veto proof" and avert a potentially costly and contentious referendum campaign.
Although backers believe they have majority support in both the House and Senate, they fear their support may fall short of the two-thirds threshold.
"We wanted to make sure we had as much support as possible," Soctomah said. "This is the right time" to propose the scholarships to try to persuade undecided lawmakers to join their camp, he said.
Soctomah said the Passamaquoddy Tribe is willing to designate a share of its racino revenue for college scholarships "to show the people of the state that we're dedicated to improving our living conditions" on the tribe's reservations and throughout Washington County.
The bill initially called for the developer to keep 59 percent of the income from the racino, after prizes and funding for the state's administrative expenses. The remaining 41 percent would go to racing, health care, municipal, economic-development and educational initiatives, including the scholarships.
The plan to be announced today would add 2.5 percent of the tribe's racino revenue to the 1 percent that the bill already earmarks for Washington County Community College scholarships, boosting the total to 3.5 percent. By contrast, the law governing distribution of revenues from the Hollywood Slots racino gives 1 percent of income to the Maine Community College System for scholarships throughout the system.
The scholarship plan "will be seen as a helpful gesture" in the Legislature because lawmakers strongly support the community colleges and they want to help Washington County's economy, said House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven. But she said it remains to be seen if more scholarships will win over lawmakers who oppose expansion of gambling in Maine.
"I think the concept is helpful," said Assistant Senate Minority Leader Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport. But Rosen noted that Washington County lawmakers already back the proposed racino, so the tribe should offer scholarship funding for the Maine Community College System as a whole if it wants to win support among lawmakers from other parts of the state.
Staff Writer Paul Carrier can be contacted at 622-7511 or at:
pcarrier@pressherald.com