I have visited every casino on the East Coast, as well as Montreal and Las Vegas. I have been to Foxwoods many times in the past seven years and it is clear to see that new businesses are popping up near the casino all the time. Never have I seen a crime in or around a casino. I would much rather sleep on the Las Vegas strip than walk some of the streets in Portland at night.

I visited Las Vegas with a friend who came home with $1,000. I didn’t win any money, but I had one of the best times of my life. Like thousands of others I gamble for entertainment, not for money. Win or lose, it’s still entertainment.

I have seen our former governor on television with his opinion on the casino. His sudden interest in doing something to help the people in Maine is hard to believe. If he had accomplished something in his eight years as governor maybe our state wouldn’t be in such turmoil, making us need this casino even more. I do not value his opinion on this matter or any other.

Suppose this casino created only 5,000 jobs. That’s 5,000 more jobs than we now have. These will be permanent jobs, the casino will be here to stay. Fishing, logging, paper mills and farming have no guarantees. In the last three years jobs have been lost at an alarming rate. Let’s get together and vote for the casino.

Thomas Smith

Jonesboro