More Referendum News

Agua Caliente Lose Appeal

Yesterday a state appeals court denied appeals from the Agua Caliente and two other tribes that are trying to keep their expanded gambling agreements off the ballot.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals refused to overrule three separate superior court decisions that concluded the revised agreements are legitimate and should be on the Feb. 5 ballot.

"That's pleasing because we believe that Californians should have a right to vote and the chance to overturn the...compacts, and we are glad the court agrees with us," said Al Lundeen, a spokesman for the coalition behind the ballot push."

We just received the decision, and we will be reviewing it,'" said Patrick Dorinson, a spokesman for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, which had filed one of the cases.

He added the tribe hasn't had time to consider whether to appeal the case to the state Supreme Court.

A fourth tribe, the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians, has a expanded gambling agreement, known as a compact, at stake in the current debate too, but didn't file a court challenge.

Full Article:
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071207/NEWS06/71207032

Cal Chamber Backing Indian Gambling Initiatives

The California Chamber of Commerce announced yeterday its support for the four Indian gambling measures on the Feb. 5 ballot.

In a prepared statement, Chamber President Allan Zaremberg encouraged voters to support Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97.

The measures would allow previously negotiated tribal compacts between the State of California and four tribes to go into effect.

Zaremberg said the measures "will protect a steady and significant revenue source to the state's general fund and help pay for schools, roads and bridges, public safety and health care."

Full Article:
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/009507.html

Other News….

CNIGA Membership Dwindles

California's most powerful Indian gambling alliance appears to have lost nearly a third of its members in an exodus driven by tensions within the organization.

Twenty-two tribes, including big gaming operators like Rincon of north San Diego County and Morongo of east Riverside County, did not rejoin the California Nations Indian Gaming Association by last Thursday, the deadline to participate in the annual election of new officers, sources close to the organization said.

Some of those tribes still could renew and pay their dues, which were officially due Nov. 1. At least two indicated checks will soon be in the mail.

But many of the 22 are not expected to return after months of internal haggling over competing interests of gaming and nongaming tribes. With the departures, the organization -- a political force in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. -- will have a little more than 40 members, its smallest membership in years.

Some of the defections were spurred by the group's decision to raise minimum annual dues from $650 to $5,000. Big gaming tribes pay more than $80,000 a year. But the non-renewals were split almost equally between gaming and non-gaming tribes. The latter included Jamul and Manzanita of San Diego County.

There apparently was no disagreement about who should lead the association. Two-term CNIGA Chairman Anthony Miranda was elected unanimously to a third term.

Source: - James P. Sweeney, Copley News Service
http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/breaking/2007/12/mass_exodus_from_tribal_associ.html