Gambling is all about “odds.” Are the odds in our favor if we vote for an Oxford County casino on Nov. 2?

Social, economic and psychological costs can include increased crime rates, lost productivity, indebtedness, compulsive gambling and addictions that ruin families, increased suicide rates, need for extensive infrastructure improvements, negative impacts on local businesses, plus the overall change in the quality of life and soul of a small Maine community.

In 2006, the first full year of operations at Hollywood Slots, crime in Bangor increased 22 percent, the biggest increase of any Maine city, according to the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Gambling is not just a harmless pastime; the odds always favor the house. In the game of craps, if a gambler were to bet $1 each time, the odds of winning $1,000 before losing $1,000 are one in two trillion (see “Gambling,” by Bruno Leone et al).

We believe in Maine’s potential to be productive and prosperous, in our quality of place, and in our entrepreneurial abilities. We believe in investing in Maine through initiatives that will truly aid small businesses, improve educational performance, promote energy efficiency, enhance connectivity, and overhaul our health care system.

We will vote no on Question 1.

Anne Kinney, Auburn, and three others on behalf of the Social Justice Committee of First Universalist Church of Auburn, Unitarian Universalist