State Sen. Patrick nixes casino study group
State Sen. John Patrick of Rumford has called off future meetings of a commission formed to study the economic impact of gambling in Maine because he said the process was hijacked by industry boosters on the panel.
In a letter published in the Sun Journal, Patrick wrote that the study commission did not meet his expectations for reviewing data, expert testimony and research about the economic impacts of gambling in the state. The paper reported that the 20-member panel ultimately crafted a recommendation that the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, which oversees gaming in the state, allow four more entities to apply for casino licenses. That recommendation, Patrick argued, fell outside of the commission’s statutory goal of examining the impact of expanding gambling in the state.
Patrick said he will pursue completing the commission’s study of expanding gaming in the state through the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee when it reconvenes in January.
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