I was born and brought up in Maine and have been following the Maine casino controversy closely through the Bangor Daily News. I now live in Connecticut within 20 miles of both the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos and know firsthand the problems caused by these casinos.

Traffic is horrendous, schools are overcrowded with no money to build more, crime has increased to the point that there are drive-by shootings on a back country road in Ledyard, our state sales tax keeps increasing, we still have a state income tax, workers are being imported from foreign countries with the influx of workers so bad they cannot find affordable housing and are “hot bunking” with dozens living in a one-family home.

Most of the workers are minimum wagers who can’t afford to live in our economy. The money paid to the state by the casinos does not seem to reach the towns being affected.

The cons far outweigh the pros. Maine should think long and hard before voting a casino into the state. Once there, it won’t go away and will only cause more problems than it’s worth.

Ann Houghton Parchman

Groton, Conn.