Kittery Town Councilors have joined the planning board and voted to ban gambling casinos anywhere in the community. As Correspondent Roger Wood reports, many residents feel that the battle is just beginning.
Kittery residents packed the Town Council Chambers, some sitting on the floor, others standing two deep AGAINST THE SIDE WALLS� the rest overflowing into the foyer. They were URGING the Town Council to outlaw casinos. It turned out THEY DIDN�T NEED TO BRING ANY POLITICAL pressure against local government leaders.
(SOT Vote and cheers) :05 Sound of cheers under
And the 6 to nothing vote followed another unanimous recommendation, that of the town's Planning Board, WHICH DRAFTED the local land use and development code amendment. PLANNING BOARD Chair Russell White.
(SOT Russell White) :20
"Would anybody who is opposed to recommending to the Council that this ordinance be passed tonight please raise their hand. Seeing no hands, that's a unanimous sense of the planning board recommending to the Council that this be passed tonight."
The dual votes followed a short but spirited public hearing on the ordinance. NO ONE SPOKE IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING CASINO GAMBLING. And many, including Connie Moulton pushed for more activism on AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
(SOT Connie Moulton) :14
"We just want you to know that we're not looking just for Kittery. It's not a not in my back yard�It's bad for Kittery, it's bad for the state of Maine, and I hope that you as Council persons will send your message to the state."
The TOWN COUNCIL�S NEW ordinance goes on the books in 30 days, not enough time for gambling supporters to place a concrete plan on the table. In any case, the Indian tribes interested in the casino have postponed any move to legalize it in Maine until next year's legislative session. Passamaquoddy Tribal State Representative Donald Soctomah could not be reached immediately for comment on the vote, but has indicated that he would not wish to pursue a casino proposal in any town that doesn't want it. That assurance doesn't allay the fears of Town Councilor Susan Emery, who spearheaded the ordinance amendment.
(SOT Emery) :20
"I always tend to hope that what people are saying is true. However, I don't think that in this situation that we can certainly you know, count on anything and that we need to take it to the state level."
And Councilor Emery said that at the very least, she would hope the Legislature votes to allow communities like Kittery the right of home rule to accept or reject any gambling casinos. For NHPR News, I'm Roger Wood in Kittery, Maine.
