Posted on 07/23/2004 8:02:58 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration Friday stepped up its call for tribes to negotiate their gambling agreements with the state after one tribe gave $10 million to a ballot initiative the governor wants to defeat.
In his ongoing talks with tribes to share casino profits in exchange for expanded gambling rights, the governor last month struck new deals with five tribes.
The Pala Band of Mission Indians, the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians, the United Auburn Indian Community, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and the Pauma Band of Mission Indians will give the state a one-time $1 billion payment and an estimated $150 million to $200 annually. In exchange, the tribes were granted the right to operate additional slot machines beyond the 2,000 limit. The deal extends to 2030.
The governor's office urged other tribes to reach similar agreements with the state.
"Those terms will not be on the table forever. Tribes will maximize the most benefit by coming to the table with California rather than hedging their bets and going to the ballot box," Schwarzenegger spokesman Vince Sollitto said Friday.
Sollitto's statements came after the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians announced a $10 million contribution to Proposition 70, so far the single largest donation to the November ballot measure.
The proposition would require casino-owning tribes to pay about 8.8 percent of their net gambling income to the state. In return, they would be allowed to operate as many slot machines as they choose beyond the 2,000 limit and also could offer games currently banned in California, including roulette and craps.
"As our attempts to have a conversation with the governor have not come to fruition and with our renegotiation efforts in a stalemate, supporting Proposition 70 is a viable option," San Manuel Chairman Deron Marquez said in a statement.
Marquez, however, said the tribe is still willing to negotiate a new gambling deal Schwarzenegger.
All of this nauseates me. If Torie were governor, and had aboslute power, the casinos, all of them, would be shut down.
Hey, ease up on those tribes. I won tonight!
Sacramento Area ping.
These deals are also for the exclusive right to run casinos in the state. I say just let everyone run casinos on equal footing. End the monopoly.
If the Tribes pay Billions and Millions to the state, isn't that easing the tax burden on the rest of the population? One might say, yeah but the money they are giving is our money to start with anyway. But..but ..but who's fault is that? I don't gamble so no sweat to me. I think it's a good thing. (I'm Indian and I dont like the Gambling. My tribe doesn't have it. But, it is out of my hands so make the best of it as is)
The tribes opened Pandora's Box when they got the OK to have casinos on lands that were not granted by treaty. As long as they were on "sovereign territory" they could do as they pleased. The CA public will not let them have it both ways forever.
Down here (South Florida) the Seminoles opened up a huge Hard Rock casino and hotel on a tract that was never reservation land. They engaged in land swap to get them this prime land near highways and population.
Tribal gambling is an obscene rip off. I just got a 2002 issue of Time that gets into it. The outside investors who make things happen are cleaning up and members of gambling tribes are getting $200,000/year checks for doing nothing. It's a rotten scam that came about only due to white liberal guilt.
Dibs on Lieutenant Gov., aka "Shotgun!"
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