Restore won't give up (Portland, Augusta: incomes, living, land)

[kellysmith]

Here's a good article about the gaming issue that was in the Press Herald awhile back. It gives good background history of the land claim settlement. It also confirms what I remembered, because the Maine tribes settled the land claim, they were exempt from future laws regarding benefits for Native Americans unless they were specifically noted...and in the gaming laws at the federal level, the Maine tribes were not mentioned and therefore it did not apply to them, so no casinos unless the State OK'd it.

Call of the casino (http://news.mainetoday.com/indepth/gambling/020505casino.shtml - broken link)

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by kellysmith

Here's a good article about the gaming issue that was in the Press Herald awhile back. It gives good background history of the land claim settlement. It also confirms what I remembered, because the Maine tribes settled the land claim, they were exempt from future laws regarding benefits for Native Americans unless they were specifically noted...and in the gaming laws at the federal level, the Maine tribes were not mentioned and therefore it did not apply to them, so no casinos unless the State OK'd it.

Call of the casino (http://news.mainetoday.com/indepth/gambling/020505casino.shtml - broken link)

Seems to me, we're both correct.

[kellysmith]

Originally Posted by AustinB

Seems to me, we're both correct.

Yep, I concur, I meant to quote K-Luv's post

[RANGER.101ST]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Fully half the population of Maine lives within 50 miles of Portland. The politics, demographics and economics are huge.

and this is why nothin much will ever change for folks above bangor.most from down state have never seen northern maine and could care less what happen up there.they are just content in there own little world.if maine was governed in two sections this park would not even be a conversation.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by RANGER.101ST

and this is why nothin much will ever change for folks above bangor.most from down state have never seen northern maine and could care less what happen up there.they are just content in there own little world.if maine was governed in two sections this park would not even be a conversation.

It would not be impossible to divide the state into two states.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

West Virginia did it.

[arctichomesteader]

WV did it illegally but no one cared because of the war. The legal way is spelled out in the Constitution: approval by the legislature, then approval by Congress. A hassle, but not impossible as long as there's the numbers for it in the Northern half of the state (force the issue onto a ballot if necessary).

[mensaguy]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

It would not be impossible to divide the state into two states.

It might be possible. Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution says: New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress. I guess that means the Legislature would have to approve the split and then have the split endorsed by Congress.

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

West Virginia did it.

The lawyers still like to argue over the legality of the formation of West Virginia. Some contend it was unconstitutional since the Virginia legislature did not approve the formation of the new state. The "reorganized government of Virginia" met in Wheeling and decided to form a new state, even though the only widespread support for it was in a small area in the North. However, it was favored by Lincoln and the Republicans in Congress, so it was approved and Lincoln signed a proclamation making West Virginia a State.

It was even sleezier than the back room deals than allowed Maine to become a State separate from Massachusettes. (I like to remind Mainers of this when they get West Virginia and Virginia mixed up. )

[maine4.us]

From my meager knowledge of Maine politics, I would think the legislature would love to divide the state up. From all the public comments I hear, a lot of the southern Mainers would say good riddance, and northern Mainers could control their own destiny for a change. It used to be that way in Florida, the southern 1/3 of the state controlled the other 2/3's. They shortchanged the counties, the cities, and the schools for 30 years. Just recently did central Florida become the powerhouse of politics and political power. The northern portion of the state and panhandle were always the shirt tail cousins.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I was stationed in Pensacola for a while when I was in the Navy. They refer to themselves as "South Alabama" because their social and economic ties are there. They are not even in the same time zone as Tallahassee.

The line across Maine has many names and its location depends on who you are talking to. Rep. Henry Joy submitted a bill to the legislature shortly after the COMPACT was defeated the second time for Maine to separate into two states. It did not pass of course, but several towns as far south as Fryeburg passed resolutions to be included in Northern Maine. No other state has 52% of its land area governed by a group of seven appointed functionaries whose citizens cannot even select by voting.