I sent out a tweet, silly me, calling out the gubernatorial candidates in Maine on not taking any leadership position on the casino issue. Should Maine have more casinos? If so where should they be located? If not, why not?
Only the Democrats seem to have spent any serious political capital on this issue. The GOP seems to be testing the wind -- with statements like if the local community supports it they will support it. So should Maine law be changed to legalize casinos, if they are approved by local referendum? Is that the gist. I think we will hear or see a clear statement on this issue soon from Peter Mills as well. Just a hunch.
One GOP candidate during an online chat with the Kenebec Journal wrote they wouldn't want their children working in a casino but if a company wanted to invest in Maine and bring that business here that might be OK.
So what's it going to be? As a candidate and a voter would you vote to support new casinos in Maine, either in Oxford per the Black Bear plan or in Lewiston per the Stavros Mendros plan? Rosa Scarcelli and Steve Rowe, to their credit, pointed out they don't support casinos as a economic development but I think there's a lot of line-walking going on still -- leery that large local support, if it exists, could cost them a major voting bloc in Maine i.e. Lewiston-Auburn and Androscoggin.
Scarcelli is the clearest so far against this. Not surprising given her campaign team and Dennis Bailey's involvment.
Also supporting a casino here could cost them other voting blocks that have said we don't go in for gambling as an economic development tool i.e. Cumberland and York counties and possible Penobscot, which already has a casino.
What's it going to be guys. Voters want leadership on this issue -- not I'll support it if you do. That's a kind of lame cop out. In my humble opinion.
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