"The state Legislature's hand was forced after the U.S. Supreme Court gave a big win to the Gun Lake band of Pottawatomi Indians in the tribe's push to build an Allegan County casino. The state Senate was right to approve a previously negotiated compact between the tribe and the state.

The compact would guarantee that the casino pay some of its profits to local and state governments, something even avid gambling opponents should support. Failure to approve a compact would have the almost inevitable result of allowing the casino to move forward, but without any share of gambling proceeds turned over to the state.

The compact has yet to come to a vote in this House of Representatives. In 2007, a differently constituted House approved the same compact. Gov. Jennifer Granholm considers that action sufficient, along with the recent Senate vote, to make the deal legally binding. However, she rightly believes the current House, which contains 46 new members compared to the 2007 body, should approve the compact, too, "just to be safe.""

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Editorial: The right deal for Allegan casino (The Grand Rapids Press 2/19)