To the Editor:

This is a note from the “Vote No” group to the “Vote Yes” group and all the townspeople who are paying attention to this Nov. 2 ballot issue.

Dear “Vote Yes” folks: Your claim that we are stealing your signs is so unfounded and unbacked that it is almost funny. Our entire committee is made of retired teachers, city professional people and citizens who have done a lot for Troy over their lifetimes. Most of them would not be able to jump out of their car, steal a sign, and quickly drive off. All of our group are people who love Troy and would not stoop so low as to do that. We ask that you think the same way.

Now as to your group: I can tell you the positions in town from which “Vote No” signs have been continually stolen. (Can you tell me that same info for your signs?) No, because none of yours have been stolen. Your website gets more preposterous all the time. (A DORA in our town would not encourage anyone to move into Troy.)

As we knock on hundreds of doors, anyone on your side only talks about how much fun and games a downtown DORA would bring them. No one considers the dozens of school children from three schools that walk through those drinking people. No one talks about, or even knows about, the 14 bars including a brewery within that area. (Do we really have to show off our drinking to the world?) No one knows anything about the 10 alcoholic recovery classes each week or the half way house within that area. Most folks are smart enough to realize that a DORA will not help the downtown businesses. (Would those businesses really hire an additional crew and stay open additional hours? ) No one realizes there will be no police protection when, not if, the police are called to an emergency somewhere else in town.

Everyone, including yourselves, realizes that not all the trash is going into the cans, trash that we will be paying our city crews overtime to clean up. And finally, once the alcohol is outdoors and out of sight of the bartenders, it can be given to underage drinkers. And, from drinkers car trunks, the cups can be filled again and again, so drunkenness cannot be controlled as it would be within a bar.

Our citizens need to remember that where ever there is alcohol, there will be problems. Please “vote no” on the DORA issue.

— David Pinkerton

Troy