Bangor
Councillors Want Waiting Period for Slot Bills
As reported by the Bangor
Daily News: "After having witnessed the
barrage of slots-related bills that went before
state lawmakers last session, city councillors
are calling for a three-year waiting period
before any substantive changes are made to existing
state law.
"A resolve urging the state's
legislative and executive branches to support
a three-year moratorium on further changes to
state slots law will appear on the council's
Sept. 24 meeting agenda. The resolve was among
the city issues tackled during a meeting Wednesday
of the council's business and economic development
committee, chaired by Councilor Dan Tremble.
"The idea is to allow some time to study
the effects of current regulations before making
substantive changes that could either scuttle
or expand slots operations in Maine, City Manager
Edward Barrett said. The moratorium would not
apply to minor technical changes, he said.
"…While city officials acknowledged
the Legislature can do whatever it wants, the
resolve would at minimum put the city's position
on the record, City Solicitor Norman Heitmann
said. It also would allow city staff to take
actions consistent with that position.
"Slot machines became legal here as the
result of a 2003 statewide referendum.
"As it stands, however, Bangor is the
only municipality in the state that provided
the needed local approval…"
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