Committee deadlocks on Oxford casino, nixes tribal pitch
A bill to allow a casino in western Maine is being sent to the Legislature for debate, after a legislative committee deadlocked on whether to support it.
The Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee yesterday voted 5-5 on the bill, LD 1329, sponsored by Rep. Sawin Millett (R-Waterford), to allow a casino in Oxford County if the host town supports it, according to the Associated Press. The bill would require the casino operator to pay 40% of gross gaming income to the state for economic development and transportation improvements and to the host town.
The committee also killed a bill to allow a casino on Indian-owned land. Both the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes have pursued locating a casino on their tribal lands, but to no avail. The committee also voted to carry over to next year's session separate bills that call for a state-controlled casino and operating of video gaming terminals by nonprofit organizations, in the hopes that the bills could spur a more comprehensive state policy on gambling issues, according to the AP.
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