Why I Am Morally, Ethically, and Fiscally Opposed ...

...to a casino here in town, in list form because I am lazy.

1. It is a proven fact that a casino in town brings with it more people, choosing to reside in or near the host town. More people=more crime=more social problems=more gambling addictions=more bankruptcies filed=BAD NEWS.

2. Casinos are usually built in the style of a resort...with such things as hotels, malls, specialty shops etc. right on the premises. If the people that a casino brings in are shopping and conducting business at the casino that means that they are not shopping at local businesses. Again, BAD NEWS.

3. Casino's run by Indians are considered, "Sovereign Nations", which means they are not subject to the environmental, land use, and tax laws that apply to everyone else. There is also no developed federal law regarding what terms are enforceable between local towns and the Indians running the casino. BAD NEWS.

4. Much of the revenue generated by the state lottery system is redistributed among the cities in towns. A casino would more than likely have a negative impact on this. BAD NEWS.

5. The town of Ledyard, CT only get a measly 1 million per year back from the casino. I say measly because 1 million is probably not even close to a fraction of what Foxwoods makes. BAD NEWS. (FYI: I need to find the report in which got this information, and when I do, I will link it here, as it also shares other useful information on the negative impact Foxwoods has had on Ledyard).

6. The town would undoubtedly lose it's rural country character which, to me, and I am sure many others, is a big reason we live here. BAD NEWS.

Oh, and if I may just say that the people running this town, with the possible exception of one, are clueless. Not only did they sell the land before a deal with the tribe was even discussed, they did it without seeking the input of the town voters. The only one who may be exempt from that is the one who wanted to put a non-binding referendum on the next election surveying the thoughts of the town regarding the casino. The others shot it down, even though the Wampanoags would rather go with a town that supports them being there than not. Honestly, sometimes I wonder how these people get elected.