Individual Voters Picking Yes: 'A No-Brainer'; and No: 'It's Going to Drastically Change Everything'

Thousands of Milford residents have cast votes for, or against, the proposed Foxwoods Massachusetts casino Tuesday.

At 3 p.m, the turnout was nearing 6,000, or 34 percent of the registered voters. And the pace was expected to pick up as the election entered the 4 to 7 p.m. window, when people finish work and head to the polls.

What are they saying on exiting the precincts? Milford Patch spoke to five voters in a 45-minute window, as they left the four precincts at the Portuguese American Club.

Yes

Lisa Cyr, a Milford resident for the past two years, said she voted yes on the ballot. Overall, she said, the benefits were greater to the town than the negatives. Under the host community agreement, Milford will receive $25 million a year in real estate taxes, plus annual payments for police and fire services, as well as additional add-ons. Cyr said she wrestled with her vote for awhile, but decided the pluses were greater. "This will impact Milford more positively than not."

Yes

A 26-year resident, who would not provide his name, said he voted 'Yes' too. The subsidies for the town were what convinced him, he said, citing the millions to be paid to the town up-front, and the $34 million a year thereafter. "It will improve everything around here," he said. "And I don't think it will affect property values. To me, it's a No-Brainer."

No

Tom Davey, a 41-year resident of Milford, said he voted 'No.' "Primarily I'm concerned about the traffic and the water situation." He's a renter, he said, and in renting a condo does not expect to benefit from any tax rebate that may result from the casino payments to the town. His decision, he said, was reached over the past few months. "It was not a snap decision."

Yes

Nicole Landry voted 'Yes.' The project will bring in people to the town, who will help the local economy, she said. "It will bring people to Milford who otherwise wouldn't be here," said Landry, a resident for the past year. And as for the argument that it will bring in a "bad element," she said that element "is already here." Overall, she said, she thought the project would be a benefit.

No

Bernie Hickey, a lifelong resident, voted 'No' but he said he knows the town is divided, based on his conversations with friends. He thinks it will harm the town. "It's going to drastically change everything," Hickey said. "And traffic? I don't even want to talk about traffic."