The Maine Sunday Telegram editorial board has fallen prey to the gambling interests in Maine. In “Our View: York County casino referendum drive shows Maine has let itself become a mark” (Jan. 3), they seem blinded, like many of our policymakers, by the promise of easy money in Maine.

Casino referendums have all been backed by gambling interests in one way or another – out-of-state money has always played a role. This carryover bill does nothing more than set up gambling interests for an easy win. We already control casinos through a referendum process that allows all Maine voters to have a say, and a poll from last year shows that Maine voters do not want a third casino. Gambling interests know that, which is why they want a county vote instead of a statewide vote.

The bill makes the same promises we’ve heard all along about money flooding in to save harness racing (after an $80 million-plus infusion, it is still failing) and creating more jobs and money for the municipalities they are in. Last year, the Bangor casino asked the city to cut their property value by $36.8 million. New businesses are not springing up all around the Oxford facility.

The proposed bill includes a provision for $25 million for Bangor or Oxford if one of their casinos fails after a new one is added. This provision acknowledges the cannibalization of money from the current casinos, and it should give everyone pause because even the Whitesand report finds that 80 percent of the revenue from a new casino will come from Maine residents, jeopardizing the very jobs and easy money promised.

There is no proof this gamble works, and there are simply better investments we could make for a sustainable and stable economic future for Maine.

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