Monday, December 3, 2007

Gambling Vote in Limbo: Pechanga waiting....

I'll link to more stories like this as they appear. The PEOPLE of the state of California will have the last word on this, either through the referendum process, or the recall process. The four tribes are putting their heads together right now, asking themselves: "do we add the machines, or don't we?" And they'd be wise to take their time with this. BACKLASH, can be a horrible word. Hey, people like to gamble, obviously, but they don't like getting screwed.

Can you say, unlimited gambling in California? I think you can. The customer will choose to go elsewhere, rather than a business they now know is without scruples.

Gambling vote in limbo
SAN DIEGO -- A statewide vote on the expansion of gambling at four Southern California Indian casinos has potentially been short-circuited by a federal government decision, it was reported today.
Requests to dramatically increase the amount and types of gambling at the four reservation casinos was to be decided by California voters in the Feb. 5 state primary election, when
four initiatives are on the ballot. But the San Diego Union-Tribune has learned that the U.S. Interior Department has suddenly ratified compacts between the state government and the tribes, possibly making the February votes moot.
Attorneys for other tribes, and for union groups that have opposed the additional gambling, say they were surprised by the Bush Administration’s decision to ratify the gambling compacts before California voters could make a decision on them. Wealthy tribes seeking casino expansions are locked in a bitter battle with casino-less tribes, and unions that have been frozen out of casino contracts.

Almost $30 million has been raised to flood the state’s TV stations with pro- and anti-gambling commercials.

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