Editorial: Get a handle on spread of Indian gaming

Wednesday, March 23, 2005  

"The decision by the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to shelve plans for a Nevada-style casino at San Pablo -- temporarily at least -- gives federal and state lawmakers a chance to consider ways to slow or even halt the pressure to expand gambling into urban areas.

As Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., observed, the Lyttons have "not abandoned pursuing a compact that would sidestep the normal federal regulatory process."

Feinstein has introduced legislation that would effectively undo a 2000 amendment by Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, that declared the casino site to be historic tribal land and thus eligible for a faster-track approval process on a casino. The Lyttons could still apply for a casino at San Pablo, but would be subject to a far more rigorous review and approval process.

We strongly urge the Senate and House to approve Feinstein's bill.

The pause in the San Pablo plans offers an opportunity for Congress and the California Legislature to consider how to control the breathtaking expansion of Indian gaming in recent years."

Get the Story:
Editorial: A gambling pause (The San Francisco Chronicle 3/23)