"As the chairman of the Mechoopda Tribe, I have made it my highest priority to ensure that our tribe conducts itself with honor and integrity. However, as events continue to unfold concerning the development of our proposed casino on the outskirts of Chico, it has become very clear that the Butte County Board of Supervisors does not hold itself to the same standard.

To my dismay, the county supervisors have decided to appeal a federal court ruling dismissing the county’s challenge to the approval of the location for our casino. Adding insult to injury, Supervisor Connelly insulted the Mechoopda Tribe in a county press release by urging that “Station Casinos find a new location for the tribe.” To suggest that our tribe is unable to make decisions for ourselves is not only paternalistic, but also reminiscent of the times in history when the federal government determined where we could live.

To hear the county supervisors describe our proposed project, one would think we are planning to build the MGM Grand Casino; nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, our plans call for the smallest casino in the region, barely the size of a Safeway store."

Get the Story:
Dennis Ramirez: Supervisors err with air of superiority (The Chico News-Review 5/28)