"Tribal casinos in South Sound are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the communities they serve.

The latest example was the Nisqually tribe's $450,000 contribution to nonprofit organizations and government agencies in Thurston County.

The tribes, as part of their compacts with the state, are required to contribute 2 percent of their net income from gaming operations back into the community. It's up to individual tribes and their committee representatives to determine which agencies and nonprofit groups receive funding.

The tribal contributions help nonprofit groups provide services to the poor and needy and give public safety officials additional financial resources to better meet public demands for service.

It's all good."

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Editorial: Tribal casinos help their communities (The Olympian 5/6)