Judge orders change in casino ballot language

Tuesday, August 10, 2004  

A California judge ordered Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to change language accompanying the tribe's ballot initiative.

Proposition 70 would allow willing tribes to operate more than 2,000 slot machines under 99-year compacts. In exchange, the tribes would pay 8.84 percent of net revenues to the state.

Among other rulings, the judge made the state change language claming the proposition would prohibit audits of tribal casinos. The new language simply says the state doesn't have a "vehicle" to determine casino profits.

The judge allowed the state's language claiming the proposition would "encourage" urban casinos. The tribe had objected to this language.

The judge also allowed the state's Legislative Analyst’s Office to claim that Schwarzenegger's gaming compacts will generate more money than the proposition. The tribe had countered that the state's projections won't hold unless more tribes sign compacts. So far only five have signed with Schwarzenegger.

Get the Story:
Prop. 70 ballot language revised (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 8/10)
Changes ordered in ballot wording (The Sacramento Bee 8/10)