Posted on 07/18/2006 10:13:55 AM PDT by calcowgirl
A telling trend has emerged in California over the last year -- California voters from the ranchlands of Glenn and Colusa counties to the desert prairie of Barstow have said "no" to developers looking to exploit a tribe's legal status and establish casinos on non-Indian lands -- what is known as "off-reservation gaming." All over California, developers are looking to move tribes off of their historical ancestral lands and move them -- oftentimes hundreds of miles and even across state lines -- to gaming markets identified by the developers.
The message sent by voters in recent elections is particularly ripe because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Legislature are considering approving as many as 15 off-reservation gaming deals, including several where developers are seeking to move out-of-state tribes to California in order to develop casinos in locations where the developers would otherwise be barred by law. Under federal law, California must give its approval before the federal government will take action to allow a tribe to relocate. These off-reservation applications are pending before the state at the same time as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is working to pass Indian gaming reform legislation, inspired by the Abramoff scandal, to end the practice of off-reservation gaming.
California voters, who, by popular vote, approved of the right of tribes to develop their historical lands for gaming, adamantly opposed developers "gaming the system" to establish casinos in communities where the developers would otherwise be restricted.
(snip)
The governor and elected representatives of the people of California must keep their word. The same holds true for the leaders of California's 107 federally recognized tribal governments. The voters have made clear that the people of California understand what is going on -- are California's elected officials and tribes listening?
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I hadn't heard of this before.
I doubt very much the "developers" want to move the Tribe. I am sure the Tribe is telling the developers where they want to be to maximize their profits.
In Solano County, a tribe that had no claim to lands, and indeed had no record of settlement, tried to claim lands to build a casino. The voters sent them packing. In fact, I believe no one had ever HEARD of this tribe. It would be wise for the gaming interests to remember that what the voters GIVETH - the voters can also take away - a moritorium on casinos and sharper restrictions on land to be used for casinos is just a referendum away - despite what the legislature and Ah-Nold says.
Well, I'm a tribe. And I bet you've never heard of me either :)
I don't see the move to create off reservation tribal gambling as lawful. Only the federal government can approve of extending tribal lands and that would be required in this circumstance. How the state of California can even consider it is beyond me.
MB -- I mean in Solano County - nothing in the history books anywhere.
However, if you'll build a casino, I'd be glad to come and support a fellow Freeper!
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