BY MATT KAKLEY SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Ahern Middle School was a busy place on Monday as over 50 percent of Foxboro voters filed in to cast ballots for two selectmen seats, among other posts. (Staff photo by Mark Stockwell)
Proposed casino weighs heavily on turnout, race
FOXBORO - The ballot said it was a race to fill two seats on the board of selectmen. But for voters, Monday's election was really a non-binding referendum on a proposed Route 1 casino."It's the only reason I'm here," Alan Sweeney said after casting his ballot for Lorraine Brue and Ginny Coppola, who campaigned in opposition to the proposal from Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn and New England Patriots' owner Robert Kraft.
Sweeney said he opposed the proposal because he'd been unable to find evidence of an existing casino benefiting its host community.
"You can't win against the house," he said.
The view was a popular one Monday: Brue and Coppola were easily elected over Selectman Larry Harrington and school committee member Martha Slattery, who were in favor of negotiating a deal with Wynn and letting voters decide the issue in a binding referendum.
"I saw what it did to that community, and I don't want to see the same thing happen to Foxboro," said Jenkins, who voted for Brue and Coppola.
Jenkins said he saw an increase in crime and other problems when Mohegan Sun opened.
"Gambling causes problems for people," he said.
Sue Dring said she voted for Brue and Coppola chiefly because of their opposition to the casino, which she said would wreak havoc in town.
"My main concern is the traffic," she said. "There's nothing you can do to prevent the traffic."
"I'm afraid it will change the integrity of the town," she said. "I like it the way it is."
There were many voters, however, who said they were in favor of the casino or at least wanted to hear more about it.
"The townspeople should be making educated decisions about the future of the town," Ellen Katseroubas, of Villa Drive, said after she voted for Harrington and Slattery.
Katseroubas said she'd like to vote directly on the proposal, rather than have selectmen make the decision for the town.
Cindy Khalifa, of Birch Tree Road, voted for Harrington and Slattery because she thought the revenue a casino would bring would help Foxboro repair town hall, boost the school department and lower property taxes.
"People will move out because the taxes are too high," she said. "If we don't have the school, people won't come."
The one thing voters on both sides of the debate could agree on, however, was that the intense campaign, which at times felt more like a presidential election than a local race, was something to behold.
"I've never seen anything like it," Sweeney said.
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