Editorial: Cowlitz Tribe in the wrong place

Monday, June 4, 2007  

"According to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act passed by Congress in 1988, tribal casinos are meant to serve as "a means of promoting tribal economic development, self-sufficiency and strong tribal governments."

That is a noble purpose. It's also why many Americans - and members of The Columbian's editorial board - for the most part do not oppose tribal casinos on reservations. Many tribes desperately need the economic boost to pay for well-documented unmet needs. (The Cowlitz Tribe has no official reservation; the proposed casino would be an "initial reservation" casino.)

And even if the Cowlitz Tribe could more convincingly present the unmet-needs case, those needs should be addressed in the tribe's homeland. And as we've editorialized before, with its tribal headquarters in Longview (Cowlitz County), a housing center farther north in Toledo (Lewis County) and ample historical evidence placing the tribal homeland to the north, Clark County is the wrong place to address the tribe's unmet needs.

[Rep. Brian] Baird wrote to Interior Department Associate Deputy Secretary Jim Cason: "I can understand the concerns of some members of the community and appreciate their desire to thoroughly evaluate all elements of the application before a final decision on the Cowlitz Tribe's application is made." We have criticized Baird for not formally opposing the casino, but in his written request to Cason, his logic is spot on."

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In our view: More Casino Talk (The Columbian 6/3)