"[Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri] wants to focus the [Narragansett] tribe on real economic development, something to be furthered by the BLB legislation he and Senate President Joseph Montalbano are promoting. It would provide Lincoln 1,750 new video slots -- talk about addictions and bad ideas! -- and phase out the car tax Rhode Islanders everywhere loathe. Notably, it also would give a Tribal Development Fund up to $10 million a year to create jobs, run health and social services, and so on.

A terrific deal for the Indians, I'd say. But Chief Thomas, who prefers to tout a West Warwick casino bill, fogs out when you ask him about it, as reporters did last week. Indeed, Carcieri also voiced frustration. As he summarized his conversation with Thomas, he reflected, "I'm sitting here and saying, 'Look, I am trying to help you.'""

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M. Charles Bakst: Hazy picture: Narragansetts, Lincoln Park (The Providence Journal 6/2)
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