Editorial: Vote yes to support North Fork Rancheria gaming deal

Artist's rendering of the proposed North Fork Rancheria casino. Image from North Fork Casino Environmental Impact Statement

The Los Angeles Times urges voters to support Proposition 48 to allow the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians to open an off-reservation casino in California:

Proposition 48 asks voters to ratify or overturn the compact between the state and the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, an agreement that would allow the tribe to build a 2,000-slot machine casino on newly acquired land near Madera, about 38 miles away from its reservation in the Sierra foothills. A “yes” vote would uphold the compact, which was negotiated by Gov. Jerry Brown and approved by the Legislature. A “no” vote would reject it and require the governor to negotiate a new pact with the tribe.
The Times urges a “yes” vote.
Before voters consider the merits of Proposition 48, they should know this: The measure has become a fight between the tribes that have casinos and the tribes that want them (with established gambling interests lining up on various sides of the proposal). The measure wouldn't even be on the ballot if casino-owning tribes in the Central Valley and their financial backers hadn't bankrolled the effort to collect signatures to qualify the referendum; they're hoping for a “no” vote to stop the project, and they've so far raised $6.7 million toward that end. The “yes” campaign has raised less than $400,000.

Get the Story:
Editorial: Prop. 48 for off-reservation casino (The Los Angeles Times 9/29)

Also Today:
Proposition 48: Tribes Trying To Block Casino In Madera County Off Designated Reservation (CBS13 9/30)

Court of Appeal Decision:
Picayune Rancheria v. Brown (September 24, 2014)

Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet: North Fork Rancheria Decision | Section 20 Determination: North Fork Rancheria

Federal Register Notices:
Indian Gaming (October 22, 2013)
Land Acquisitions; North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California (December 3, 2012)