California tribes took a beating in last fall's recall election but their support in the state remains overwhelmingly high, according to a poll released on Saturday.

Based on a survey of 1,571 voters and residents, The Los Angeles Times found that 67 percent approve of tribal casinos, four years after voters passed a statewide initiative in favor of gaming by a similarly high margin. Only 24 percent of all respondents said they disapproved.

The poll also found that a slight majority, 55 percent, hold favorable view of tribes with casinos. Only 26 percent said they had an unfavorable view.

"When asked for their impressions of Indian tribes that own gambling casinos in California, respondents gave consistently strong favorability ratings across time and demography," The Times said.

Coming months after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) rode to election on a campaign to make gaming tribes pay the "fair share" to the state, the poll is the first comprehensive look at voter attitudes since the October recall. Tribes felt they were portrayed negatively during the race but they don't appear to have lost any ground in the public arena.

Yet Schwarzenegger's message appears to have resonated with voters who favor his push to take a greater portion of casino revenues. Of all respondents, 63 percent support new compacts that would allow tribes to operate more slot machines if they share more money with the state. Only 28 percent said they opposed the idea.

Voters also continue to back the tribes' monopoly on the Class III market. According to the poll, 56 percent disapprove of a voter initiative to allow slot machines at card clubs and racetracks. Only 35 percent said they approved of the effort.

Despite the strong numbers, tribes still have work to do if they want to gain the backing of all Californians. The poll showed that Republicans were less likely to support tribes and gaming than Democrats or Independents.

When asked what they thought of tribes with casinos, only 47 percent of Republicans said they held a favorable view compared to 65 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of Independents. When asked about gaming, only 58 percent of Republicans, compared to 76 percent of Democrats and Independents said they supported the tribal monopoly.

At the polls this November, tribes will have to convince Independents not to break the monopoly. About 48 percent of Independents said they approved of the racetrack initiative -- the highest of any group.

Independents and Republicans also supported Schwarzenegger's bid for more gaming revenues whether or not they liked gaming. According to the poll, 75 percent of Independents and 71 percent of Republicans wanted new revenue-sharing compacts compared to just 57 percent of Democrats.

The poll did not ask about a petition by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to impose an 8.84 tax rate on tribal casinos in exchange for expanded gaming, including more slot machines, and 99-year compacts. Like the racetracks, the tribe submitted more than 1 million signatures to get the issue on the November ballot.

California has more than 100 tribes, of which only about half offer some form of gaming. Only a handful of tribes are operating at the 2,000 slot machine cap imposed by compacts signed by former governor Gray Davis (D). Those agreements do not impose a revenue-sharing percentage on tribes, but tribes contribute $130 million annually to a state fund.

Since the expansion of Class III gaming, California's tribes have created more than 200,000 jobs. "That adds up to billions in wages, benefits and other payments generated directly and indirectly by Indian gaming," said Anthony Miranda, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), at a conference this past January.

Schwarzenegger's office has been negotiating with a small group of tribes to redo their compacts. An announcement is expected next month that would lift the 2,000-slot machine cap in exchange for upwards of $1 billion in revenues for the state.

Poll Results:
Excerpts (The Los Angeles Times 4/25)

Relevant Links:
California Nations Indian Gaming Association - http://www.cniga.com
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger - http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/govsite/gov_homepage.jsp