P.O.L.O. is
continually getting input from the community that implies it does not
understand tribal gambling and land expansion issues because they are so
complicated. We are told that people
only have a very short attention span and we must make things very, very
simple. This seems very sad. If you love this Valley, you will need to
invest a little time and energy into understanding the issues.
So here is a
start for those of you with little time and little energy.
This could be
our future: Foxwoods Casino and Resort, in beautiful, rural Ledyard
Connecticut. The population of Ledyard is 14, 687. Foxwoods, an Indian casino
founded in 1983 as a bingo hall, is now the largest casino in the world.
If that is
all the time you have to read this, you know enough. The picture should be worth 1000 words.
If you have
another 20 seconds, here are some basic facts:
•
Reservations are land held “in trust” by
the federal government.
• Indian
tribes are considered dependent nations.
• Tribal
governments on reservations can have casinos.
• The Chumash
Casino makes around $250 million a year.
• Casinos
make hundreds of millions of dollars and are self regulated.
• Indian
gaming is a nation-wide, $27 billion industry.
• Businesses,
including casinos, on land in trust are not subject to all of the local and
state rules and laws that you and I have to follow.
• There are
about 565 of these separate governments in the United States. There are many more tribes trying to become
federally recognized.
• These
tribal governments have their own constitutions and their own government
leadership. That leadership is often
determined by a family that is a controlling majority.
• Across the
state and country, tribal members are being disenrolled from the tribe if they
disagree with the current tribal government, or for any reason the tribal
government determines.
• Many of
these tribal governments have their own tribal court system. Some have their own police force.
• California
voters passed proposition 1A to allow a limited number of slot machines to help
impoverished Indian tribes.
• Local and
state governments across the country are now using gambling dollars to balance
their budgets.
• These
tribal governments demand to negotiate directly with the County and State
governments. The public is not any part
of negotiations and may be denied any information about the negotiations.
Worried? Thinking that communities that have casinos
don’t seem to have much say in tribal gambling and land expansion? Tribal police force? Have another 30 seconds?
In countless
different situations, Supervisors Salud Carbajal, Joni Gray, and Joseph Centeno
have been very outspoken in their support of the Santa Ynez Band, even to the
extent of stating that the County should consult with Chairman Vincent Armenta
before taking action. Supervisor Janet
Wolf appears to be supportive, but she is new so time will tell. Supervisor Brooks Firestone has voiced
opposition to tribal gambling and land expansion. He has also said there is nothing he can do
about it.
Currently,
what are your chances of getting your elected politicians in Santa Barbara
County to oppose tribal gambling, tribal land expansion, and tribalism in the
Santa Ynez Valley?
None.
Worried? Got another 20 seconds? Here are a few local examples of how your
elected officials are ignoring their constituents and hijacking democracy for
tribalism and more gambling:
• 6.9 Acre
fee-to-trust: BIA ignored 1000 people opposing this.
• Appeal of
6.9 of fee-to-trust: County ignored over
1000 people and hours of public testimony begging them to appeal.
• Community
request for resolution to Governor Schwarzenegger from Santa Barbara County
opposing more slots until casino impact studies were completed. County ignored 500 emails, 23 people
testified.
• Letter to
Governor on community concerns over 5000 more slots: Sent only after the tribe reviewed and
changed the letter.
• Casino
impact studies approved by Supervisors in response to community concern: CEO Mike Brown changed the approved motion
for casino impact studies into the Santa Ynez Valley Greater Baseline
Report. This report had no mention of
casino impact studies. The community had
to spend hours to figure what this report was.
• Chumash
Highway bill by out-of-area assemblyman Joe Coto of San Jose, “based on a
peer-reviewed study that demonstrated the profound historical significance of
the 8,000 year old Chumash Trail network in the San Marcos Pass area” (letter
to community member from “Paydro” Nava).
Apparently there was quite a lengthy process involved, yet none of the
rest of us, or county government, knew about it. How much did that study cost the taxpayers?
It’s time to
take our government back. Join P.O.L.O.
in a round table discussion about the issues and what we can do to stop our
elected representatives from selling out our Santa Ynez Valley for massive
development. Tues, Oct. 9, 2007, 7 p.m.,
St. Mark’s Church,
Los Olivos.