BRUNSWICK

Although statewide ballots won’t be as crowded as they were in 2016, Maine voters still face a number of decisions at the ballot box on Nov. 7. On Tuesday, Mainers will vote on allowing a casino in York County, expanding Medicaid, an infrastructure bond and a constitutional change to the state employee pension fund.

Here’s a look at the questions:

Question 1

Question 1 presents voters the opportunity to allow a company to “operate table games and/or slot machines” in York County. Under current law, a casino cannot be operated within 100 miles of another casino. The ballot question would allow an exemption from that requirement for the operator of a York casino. It would also raise the number of slots allowed in the state by 1,500.

The question is designed in such a way that only one company can apply for it: Bangor Historic Track. That company is owned by Capital Seven LLC, which is owned by casino developer Shawn Scott.

Even if voters approve the ballot, however, the casino would have to be approved by the municipality in which it is located, either through referendum or by municipal officials.

According to a fiscal statement from the treasurer, the facility would bring in more than $26 million in state revenue.

Proponents of Question 1 say the state revenue is a reason to support the casino, while also pointing to ways it could benefit the local economy. Opponents, however, have tagged the initiative as an out-of-state interest and could deprive revenue from other casinos.

Question 2

Maine voters will also have the chance to vote on Medicaid expansion, which has been passed by the Legislature five times — only to be vetoed by the governor every time. While the Legislature has been unable to override the governor’s veto thus far, proponents of the ballot question hope that they will finally be able to get expansion passed through the citizen referendum process.

If approved, the referendum would make individuals at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty limit eligible for Medicaid, known as MaineCare in the state.

Medicaid expansion was an important part of the Affordable Care Act when it passed in 2010, but a subsequent Supreme Court ruling in 2012 had the effect of making expansion optional. Maine is one of 19 states that has declined to expand Medicaid since then, even though the federal government would be responsible for covering between 90-100 percent of the costs of expansion.

Proponents say that the initiative would expand Medicaid to 70,000 Mainers.

“Question 2 will save lives and make our workforce healthier,” said Robyn Merrill of Maine Equal Justice Partners. “A yes vote on Question 2 will also help Maine in the fight against opioid addiction and substance abuse, saving families the pain of a tragic death.”

Opponents of the bill argue instead that it is unaffordable, pointing to a prior expansion of Medicaid in Maine back in 2002.

“I’ve said it before: ‘Free’ is very expensive to somebody,” said Gov. Paul LePage in a recent weekly radio address. “This time, it will cost Maine taxpayers up to $500 million in the next five years. Maine learned this the hard way when it expanded Medicaid in 2002.”

Question 3

Question 3 is a bond issue which asks for $150 million for infrastructure construction and repairs. Most of the money would be administered by the Department of Transportation.

Question 4

The final question facing Maine voters is a constitutional amendment which “will increase the length of time over which experience losses to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System caused by the financial markets are amortized from 10 years to 20 years.” This change is meant to help stabilize the state pension fund for retired state workers and teachers.

More information about the ballot questions can be found in the Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election, which is available online through the Office of the Secretary of State at maine.gov.

nstrout@timesrecord.com

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