Let The Games Begin! (or end ? )
Spring break is over and the legislature is back to work and now the battles begin. My belief is that the success or failure of the many bills in the legislature this year pertaining to tribal gaming, which includes ratifying the amended compacts signed by the governor last year, will set the pace for tribal expansions for years to come. The Chumash, I am sure, are watching what unfolds this year and any interested parties should also keep an eye on these proceedings.
Five tribes, including the Palm Springs-based Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Cabazon-based Morongo Band of Mission Indians, will look to lawmakers to ratify amendments to individual deals struck with the governor that are worth millions of dollars and could lead to new jobs, added tourism revenues, more casinos and hotels. Tribes in return, agreed to divert a larger stream of gaming revenue directly to state coffers. Concessions also were made in agreeing to binding arbitration and stronger environmental protections.
The major voices of opposition to the ratification of these compacts are the California horse racing industry and labor. The racetrack owners want the lawmakers to reject the proposed gaming compacts until they have the opportunity to create so-called "racinos” saying the industry needs $180 million to double the size of stakes race purses so it will be competitive with other states, plus an unspecified amount to upgrade aging facilities. Labor union leaders plan to press for the right to organize with a check-card, rather than secret ballot system. Worker benefits is also an issue as well as funding for problem gambling, the impact the compacts will have on bingo machines used by nonprofits, as well as regulatory authority over casinos and tribal donations.
Here's a rundown of some of the major bills:
AB 91 by Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City. Makes tweaks to the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund and the California Gambling Control Commission.
AB 121 by Bill Maze, R-Visalia. Clarifies rules around tax codes and enterprise zones, with clauses affecting tribes.
AB 131, Garcia. Clarifies compact ratification rules as they apply to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
AB 169 by Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys. Gives 16 federally-recognized tribes the right to participate in the Southern California Association of Governments.
AB 230 by Patty Berg, D-Santa Rosa (co-author Senator Pat Wiggins, D-Eureka). Tribal compact for the Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation.
AB 266 by Charles Calderon, D-City of Industry. An amendment to the gaming compact of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
AB 847, Berg. Authorize the Yurok Tribal Council to enter into a joint powers agreement with public agencies.
AB 1265 by Paul Cook, R-Yucaipa. Makes changes to the compact ratification process.
AB 1389 by Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont. Changes the rules and allocations of the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund.
AB 1697 by Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach. Makes revenue-sharing changes to the state Treasury the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund.
SB 62 by Dean Florez, D-Bakersfield. Taps General Fund payments from tribes to make up potential shortfalls Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund.
SB 106 by Wiggins (co-authored by Berg and Senate Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland). Would ratify last years compact with the Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation.
SB 157 Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, and Wiggins (Berg). Would ratify 2005 compacts with the Big Lagoon Rancheria and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians.
SB 174 by Denise Ducheny, D-Chula Vista. Changes the backfill provisions of the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.
SB 175 Ducheny. Further revenue-sharing provisions to the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund.
SB 331 by Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles. Spot bill expressing intent clarify laws around illegal entry onto private ads.
SB 703 Ducheny. Imposes new rules on the placement and adoption of children, with clauses affecting tribes.
SB 957 Perata. Changes to the rules around County Tribal Casino Accounts.
SB 996 Florez. Would allow gaming tribes to prepay obligations to state General Fund.
Sources:
http://www.capitolweekly.net/news/article.html?article_id=1334
http://www.desertsunonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070409/NEWS06/704090315/1012/news06
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1 comments:
Welcome aboard ... if you haven't paid us a visit TheVerifiableTruth.com we might have some resources that would be helpful to you. Our objectives are rather similar: to ensure people have access to the truth; to the full spectrum of information so that they can judge their own truth on topics related to gaming/Indian gaming/industry players.
Another of our objectives is to be a resource for others on the topic of Indian gaming and some of the industry's leading players. While we're focused on specific casino proposals in CA, MI & NY, we've got broader resources posted.
It is interesting that your community's casino proposal is facing opposition from horse racing track owners.
They've banded with the Detroit casino syndicators we're tracking in order to get some traction (try and influence things) in Sacramento where it appears the established gaming tribes are solid and oppose Detroit's plans.
Late last year these same Detroit syndicators funded some of the same Sacramento politicians on the same days as the the major race tracks; now some of those gifts have come under some scrutiny. You'll find more on our blog.
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