WHY YOU SHOULD NOT Endorse Expanded Gaming Initiative in CA

Corrupt Tribes should NOT
Benefit

PLEASE DO NOT SIGN PETITION for EXPANDED GAMING in CA (Roulette, Horse Race Betting)

Over the last 15 years, California tribal officials, including those from Pechanga, Pala, San Pasqual, Redding and Picayune Rancherias have been responsible for the mass disenfranchisement of over 2000 living tribal citizens. The actions to remove these citizens from the tribal roles, and deny hundreds more their citizenship, have been characterized by lack of due process and equal protection of existing tribal and federal laws.  Can we expect these tribes to follow the laws of gaming?

In the mass disenrollments, or stripping of tribal citizenship, laws enacted to protect Indian individuals from arbitrary and capricious acts of tribal officials, such as the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, were largely ignored. Those individuals and large family groups were not only denied minimum due process standards. Pechanga even ignored their OWN laws against disenrollment, enacted by the Pechanga General Council that specifically prohibited that action. 

This “cultural genocide” now finds  thousands of California Indians cut-off from much needed health care services, senior services, education assistance and child development programs.

Tribal officials will claim sovereignty, however, immunity from prosecution does not equate to innocence of action.  Remember, South Africa has the sovereign right to live in an Apartheid system. We didn't stand for that action, yet many politicians have turned a blind eye to the segregation and apartheid now rampant on Tribal reservations.

failure to address, even acknowledge gross violations of basic human and civil rights, or to merely brush them aside as tribal matters, only lead to more victims of rights abuse. 

TEXT of Initiative

1886. (19-0029A1)AUTHORIZES NEW TYPES OF GAMBLING. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY AMENDMENT.

Summary Date: 01/21/20 | Circulation Deadline: 07/20/20 | Signatures Required: 997,139Proponent(s): Edwin "Thorpe" Romero, Jeff L. Grubbe, Anthony Roberts, Mark Macarro | Official Top Funders List

Allows federally recognized Native American tribes to operate roulette, dice games, and sports wagering on tribal lands, subject to compacts negotiated by the Governor and ratified by the Legislature. Beginning in 2022, allows on-site sports wagering at only privately operated horse-racing tracks in four specified counties for persons 21 years or older. Imposes 10% tax on sports-wagering profits at horse-racing tracks; directs portion of revenues to enforcement and problem-gambling programs. Prohibits marketing of sports wagering to persons under 21. Authorizes private lawsuits to enforce other gambling laws. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increased state revenues, potentially reaching the tens of millions of dollars annually, from payments made by facilities offering sports wagering and new civil penalties authorized by this measure. Some portion of these revenues would reflect a shift from other existing state and local revenues. Increased state regulatory costs, potentially reaching the low tens of millions of dollars annually. Some or all of these costs would be offset by the increased revenue or reimbursements to the state. Increased state enforcement costs, not likely to exceed several million dollars annually, related to a new civil enforcement tool for enforcing certain gaming laws. (19-0029A1.)