Thursday, April 17, 2008

Tribes Balk at Paying into Fund for Non-Gaming Tribes

Remember when the tribes told us that they were helping other tribes and would do more when they got more machines? Well, that certainly didn't take long to go away.

Article

Don't bank on it
SACRAMENTO - Legislation that would nearly double the annual subsidy that small and nongaming tribes receive from California's larger Indian casinos squeaked out of an Assembly committee Wednesday, although its future appears bleak.

The bill, AB 2353, would boost from $1.1 million to $2 million the annual payments that 71 tribes receive from a fund bankrolled by gaming tribes. That fund, however, has never collected enough to cover the annual payments.

OP: Do the tribes pay their bills on time?

But, with the state facing an $8 billion deficit, it's doubtful that lawmakers or the governor would approve of an increase in payments to the tribes, some of which operate small casinos and some of which have fewer than a dozen members

OP: WHY NOT? That's what the payments are for. The state lawmakers will support tribes that eliminate members, sending them back on the dole, but not keep their own promises? The states deficit has shrunk to $8 billion? Please, the tribes need to pay more, or we need to support other businesses.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, what about the promises made during the campaigns for prop 94 to 97?

It has only been two months and those promises are all but forgotten.

I thought one of the reasons given for asking for the support of the "Big Four's" gaming expanisions was that more money was going to go to non gaming tribes and tribes with small gaming enterprises.

Well Pechanga, Sycuan, Morongo and Agua Caliente, where is the money you promised?

I wouldn't be a bit surprised that their money and influence is what is getting this new bill defeated.

OPechanga said...

I BELIEVE I can say "I Told you so" on this one.