CONSIDER THIS! Casino Will Increase Rate of Drunk Driving and DUI Fatalities

Dear Members of the Milford community:

Milford has been a wonderful place for my wife and me to raise our three sons.  We have always felt a sense of safety and tranquility in Milford.  However, if we permit Foxwoods to build a resort casino in our town it will never be the same.

A major impact of the casino will be a rise in the rate of drunk driving.  The host town to Foxwoods in Connecticut (Ledyard) has 2.5 times the drunk driving arrests per year compared to Milford (75 versus 30).  And Ledyard has 10,000 fewer people than Milford!

Not only will Milford experience more drunk driving but, sadly, we will also experience an increase in drunk driving fatalities. Information derived the City-Data graphs for New London county (home of both Connecticut casinos) shows a 52 percent higher rate of drunk driving fatalities than the state average.  This should not be surprising given that the casino will serve alcohol all day and into the early morning hours.

Lastly, the casino places a greater risk on our children from intoxicated casino patrons driving through our town.  There are 15 schools and 19 childcare centers within a four-mile radius of the casino.  Do we really think it is a good idea to place a resort casino so close to our schools and child care centers?

A casino will forever change our beautiful town of Milford. I urge all Milford residents to vote NO on the Foxwoods Massachusetts proposal.

PAUL DEBEASI

Milford