A letter writer questions why the state of Alabama is going after the Poarch Band of Creek Indians:
What is wrong with this picture? The State of Alabama (land that I love) is [determined to] close Indian casinos. Due to the closing of non-Indian casinos the revenue of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is soaring. While the Attorney General may think this is a short-run problem I beg to differ with him. As has been pointed out numerous times, he is wasting taxpayer dollars to wage a battle he can’t win. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is a federally-recognized Indian tribe. What part of federal-tribal relationship does the attorney general not understand? Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), an Indian tribe has the authority to establish and operate a Class II casino within the borders of a state that permits any form of gambling. The U. S. Department of the Interior has the authority to approve an agreement between an Indian Tribe and a state. Many states have opted for this compact and received millions of dollars in revenue. The IGRA also allows the Secretary of the Interior to intercede when a state has not negotiated in good faith with a tribe. This point would definitely apply to the State of Alabama after a near 30-year effort by the tribe to enter into a compact. One only has to look at states like Mississippi, North Carolina and Connecticut to realize the impact these dollars have on state coffers.Get the Story: