Opinion: Legislative threats to California gaming tribes

Wednesday, May 6, 2009  

"Federal legislation backed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and California Senator Barbara Boxer are a dagger poised at the heart of California’s Native American tribes. Most Californians are unaware of the impact of two federal bills, one, now law, and the other, pending.

There are 107 federally-recognized tribes in California, of which 58 are engaged in government-approved gaming activities. These 58 tribes employ 59,900 workers, have sent nearly $236 million in revenue-sharing funds to non-gaming tribes, spend tens of millions of dollars per year to improve infrastructure on non-tribal lands, and annually spend hundreds of millions of dollars buying goods and services from off-reservation vendors and suppliers.

While many people oppose gambling on moral or social grounds, the fact is, that when California voters approved a state lottery to aid education, it made it legally possible for California’s tribal governments to operate casinos as well – of course, the odds at these casinos are far better than offered by the Lottery. In addition, tribes have paid over $722 million into a fund to support problem gambling prevention programs and to reimburse government for the costs associated with gaming operations."

Get the Story:
Assemblyman Chuck DeVore: Federal money for high-speed rail, card check, and the threat to California tribal gaming (Chuck DeVore 5/6)