Why Vote Yes on Question 1 Maine |
Posted: October 14, 2017 |
With many issues coming into voting on Election Day, November 7, it is important to know which issues will be affecting your community and make sure to study up on them prior to voting. There are many reasons to vote yes on question 1 Maine, but you may still have questions about what exactly is involved in it. Here is some information to help you make an informed decision before voting yes on 1 Maine.
What is Question 1? In case you have not yet been informed of the issues on the ballot this upcoming election, question 1 is a measure that will allow for a new gaming and entertainment venue to be built in York County, Maine. The venue would have casino gaming as well as a convention center for concerts, county fairs, farmer’s markets and many other community events. This would mean that there are benefits for the entire county of York, not just those that are interested in gambling.
Benefits Voting yes on question 1 Maine would have many benefits to the state as a whole. To start, the addition of the gaming and convention center is estimated to create 2,165 permanent jobs, as well as the 2,767 estimated construction jobs that will be created in order to build the facilities. Another benefit will be the increase in revenue for the state; there will be a boost in household earnings of over $183 million, as well as over $248 million in additional tax revenues over the first five years of operation. This additional tax revenue will be used to fund education including K-12, college scholarships and drug education, as well as supporting veterans, local native tribes, senior citizens and more. Because of the increase in revenue from the casinos, these causes can get more funding without an increase in taxes.
Gaming in Maine was first approved in 2003, and in the 14 years since it has generated hundreds of millions to support health and education systems without causing an increase in taxes for the citizens. The new facilities that have been created have created jobs for local citizens of Maine, especially in Bangor and Oxford where they were created. Question 1 will allow these benefits to be multiplied by allowing more gaming centers to exist in the state by allowing York County to obtain a gaming venue license. However, the new measure will also protect the citizens by allowing the local residents to vote to approve a new entertainment venue in their town before it can be built. This can make sure that the approval is coming from locals instead of out-of-state interests.
One additional benefit to creating another gaming facility in Maine will be an increase in tourism to the state, which is one of Maine’s largest industries. Tourism employs over 100,000 people in the state, which is one out of every 6 jobs. Tourism in Maine isn’t as strong during the short warm season, however creating attractions that can be enjoyed year-round such as casinos can attract people during all times of the year. This will help hotels in the area as well as other surrounding businesses.
Voting yes on question 1 Maine will have all of the benefits mentioned above and more thanks to the addition of a popular facility that will add revenue to the state, create more jobs and help fellow businesses thrive from the additional tourists drawn to the area. Make sure you go out on election day and cast your vote after doing additional research on issues such as this and the other ones on the ballot. Your vote can make a difference in the outcome of this measure on the ballot, changing the fate of the state.
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