HF 2135 is just a 21st century version of the old "divide on conquer." The bill is identical to one that didn't make it very far last year. It pits the two largest yet poorest tribes, White Earth and Red Lake, against the smaller but richer metro area tribes--Shakopee, Prairie Island, Mille Lacs. Under the terms of the bill the state would contract with White Earth and Red Lake to operate a metro area casino. The State would split the profit with the two tribes. The State's share would be 20 percent--now I'd call that foolish.
The bill is an obvious bluff designed to get the tribes to re-negotiate the gaming compact. Rep. Haas calls it the Minnesota Gaming Equity Act.
Joe Allen Central
On Friday, February 20, 2004, at 07:10 PM, Tim Bonham wrote:
Well, this is foolish!
You talk as if these casinos are CREATING money somehow! They aren't; all the money they make is taken from some other poor sucker who worked to earn it. They don't create money, they just redistribute it, taking it from the customers and putting it into the tribes. They have indeed made a millionaire out of every member of the Shakopee tribe, but that money has come out of the pockets of the customers of their casino.
And "wonder what shape the state would be in". What does the state of Mn get out of these casinos? They don't share in this income. That's one of the things in this bill that has the gaming tribes so upset.
Tim Bonham, Ward 12, Standish Ericsson
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