Columnist M.D. Harmon repeats the error that the casino referendum of 2003 was about a York County or Sanford casino (“Don’t bet on the gambling industry to fund the state’s budget,” July 10).
Question 3 (The Maine Tribal Gaming Act): “Do you want to allow a casino to be run by the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation if part of the revenue is used for state education and municipal revenue sharing?”
See “Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election, November 4, 2003,” pages 45 to 63. No site is mentioned. Referendum supporters zeroed in on Sanford because they thought we were so desperate for jobs we would believe their over-optimistic salesmanship.
I was a member of the Sanford steering committee of Casinos No and spent many hours in our office explaining the bill. In talking and listening, I was surprised at how many people went to casinos but said they did not want to live in a casino town because it ruined the community. They went only to the casino, not the rest of the town.
I have written many letters pointing out that no site was mentioned, but your reporters and columnists keep repeating the misinterpretation.
No site was mentioned in the text of the referendum initiative!
Virginia Arbuckle Spencer
Sanford
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