Despite the endless and repetitive television and radio advertising in favor of betting in Biddeford, it came as no surprise that voters statewide rejected that racino proposal as well as the one designed for Lewiston. Voters have said “No” to gambling proposals in Maine eight times in 11 years according to today’s Portland Press Herald. It would be easy to lose count without the paper of record reminding us how many times we’ve been down this road.
We’ve come a long way in one year, since the voters in Biddeford authorized municipal leaders to negotiate with Scarborough Downs and Ocean Properties, Ltd., to bring a racino operation to their city. In Biddeford, the racino proposal won approval in yesterday’s election but not by enough votes to override the “no” votes elsewhere in Maine.
Joanne Twomey, the Mayor who championed the racino proposal for the jobs it would provide, finds herself out of a job the day after the election. Her opponent, Alan Casavant, who did not support the racino, pledged to negotiate a better deal for the city if the proposal got statewide support.
In the mysterious world of politics which cannot be explained, nearly the same number of people who voted for the racino voted for the anti-racino candidate for Mayor.
Biddeford and the towns surrounding it should have some optimism today for the future of this much-maligned former mill town. Mayor-elect Casavant wants to work on improving the community’s downtown core instead of casting his lot with the racetrack and slot operators out by the Maine Turnpike. Good for him.
Biddeford contains historic buildings in its downtown Main Street and including the former textile mills which line the Saco River. With the growth of University of New England and the expansion and development of communities around it, Biddeford seems poised to begin to capitalize on its assets.
The election result for Question 2, soundly rejected by voters statewide though equally strongly supported by voters in Biddeford, seems to be a case of outsiders intervening and saving Biddeford from making a terrible and irreversible mistake. It just might be that people will look back on this vote as a turning point for the city.
*Bumper sticker credited to Richard Rhames who was elected Councilor-at-large in Biddeford's election yesterday.
