Rohnert Park Update

As noted before back in August and November of last year (http://rml-sulumhasscientia.blogspot.com/2007/08/rohnert-park-federated-indians-of.html ) and (http://rml-sulumhasscientia.blogspot.com/2007/11/rohnert-park-update.html ) the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria efforts towards building a casino development up in Rohnert Park would be worth watching as it is a perfect example of how local governments and the general public do influence such endeavors.

Here is the latest.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors might decide next month whether or not to put an advisory measure on the ballot for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria’s plans to build a casino in Rohnert Park. .

“People in the county have expressed a desire to put it on the ballot, so I’ve agreed to bring it up for discussion at one of our meetings,” Mike Kerns, supervisor of the 2nd District Kerns said, adding that an affirmative decision by the supervisors would automatically place a measure on a ballot.

“The measure would need to be approved by the supervisors 88 days before an election, so if we want to get it on the June ballot, we would need to approve it by the beginning of March,” he said.

The language of the measure, which could be put on the November 2008 ballot, soon will be developed by county personnel, Kerns said.

He initially was skeptical about such a measure because of its cost and possible lack of importance.

“I expressed concerns about the cost of putting such a measure on a ballot,” Kerns said. “It could cost $57,000 to $115,000, but would be less if the costs are split up with other measures.

“And I don’t want people to think that by voting against the casino, that they can stop it. Some board members also brought this up in my informal discussions with them, and they also questioned if the vote will make any difference.”

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he will look closely at opinions of residents when deciding whether or not to allow a casino to be built, but a countywide vote could be perceived differently than a citywide vote. In a 2006 ballot measure, 79 percent of Petaluma voters opposed the possible opening of a casino in southern Petaluma, but under a “memorandum of understanding, or agreement,” with the Graton Rancheria tribe, the city of Rohnert Park agreed not to oppose the building of a casino there.

So, Petaluma attorney Mike Healy, a former City Council member, proposed putting an advisory measure for the proposed Rohnert Park casino on a county ballot. Advisory measures cannot be put on ballots through petitions, so Healy approached Kerns about discussing it with the county board of supervisors

Full article:
http://www.caltba.org/?mvcTask=newsDetail&id=35