And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 11:26:57 EDT Subject: Governor meets for first time with Indian leaders From Victor's pechanga.net Davis supports 'modest' rise in tribal gaming Governor meets for first time with Indian leaders By James P. Sweeney COPLEY NEWS SERVICE April 10, 1999 LOS ANGELES -- Gov. Gray Davis embraced California's Indian tribes en masse yesterday, but then appeared to begin drawing the boundaries of what his administration will accept in a long-sought tribal-state gambling agreement. In a meeting tribes have sought for months, Davis declared he's interested in only a "modest" increase in tribal gaming and said any comprehensive agreement, or compact, would have to comply with existing state and federal law. "I don't want a widespread expansion of gambling in this state," the new Democratic governor said. "I would support a modest expansion. I want to work within the law . . . but I don't want a gambling casino on every corner." Davis addressed tribal members from throughout the state in an auditorium of a state office building in downtown Los Angeles. He also introduced his special counsel, retired federal Judge William Norris, who will serve as his point man in the coming round of compact negotiations. Tribes contributed nearly $1 million to Davis' campaign and had been growing impatient as the months passed without a response to repeated requests for a meeting with the new administration. Tribal leaders and their attorneys say they have no time to waste. If the California Supreme Court throws out Proposition 5, an initiative that would legalize their casinos, they could face immediate federal pressure to start giving up thousands of video slot machines. State and federal courts have ruled that video slots, which generate upward of 80 percent of the profits at many tribal casinos, are illegal in California. Proposition 5 would sanction the machines. Yesterday's session had symbolic significance to California's gaming tribes, which had never been invited to sit down with a California governor. A tribal spokeswoman said 92 of California's 107 federally recognized tribes sent representatives. Former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson spent much of his two terms at odds with tribes, whom he accused of importing and operating illegal slot machines. The Wilson administration negotiated a compact with North County's Pala band. But the accord was rejected by Indian leaders, who countered with Proposition 5. "I expect to treat tribal nations with respect and dignity," Davis vowed yesterday. "I want tribal nations to be our working partners, not our sparring partners. A new day has begun." The comity and courtesy was returned by tribal leaders. "Today, let the Indian wars of California be over," said Anthony Pico, chairman of East County's Viejas band. "Let us begin discussions with mutual respect for one another and our obligations as governments to serve the people we represent." The session adjourned to a private meeting in which Norris, the governor's special counsel, said he and tribal leaders would "roll up their sleeves" and discuss the protocol for the resumption of compact negotiations. The governor said he expects to announce within a week when negotiations will resume. He predicted a compact could be completed before summer. "There's no reason why we can't have a compact signed in the next 60 to 90 days," Davis said. During that time, however, the tribes and the administration will have to define what the governor means by a "modest" increase in gaming and what state and federal law permits beyond what former Gov. Wilson was willing to give Pala. The Pala compact authorized a lottery-based game that looks to be the functional equivalent of video slots. The Pala compact also would have allowed a nearly 50 percent increase in the lucrative electronic games, which appears to exceed the definition of a "modest" expansion. "We're working out the details of what a modest expansion means," Davis said after yesterday's meeting. "I know what I mean, but I don't want to be any more specific right now." While another round of difficult negotiations may loom, more than a few tribal leaders struggled to contain their glee as the governor warmly greeted and posed with them for photographs. "Most of us in this room have been waiting 10-plus years," said Daniel Tucker, co-chairman of east Los Angeles County's Sycuan band and chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association. "I really think we're going to make it this time." Copyright 1999 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. http://www.uniontrib.com/news/uniontrib/sat/news/news_1n10gamble.html &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
