This is how desperate Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is for money: He's reversed his opposition to off-reservation casino gambling in urban areas, cutting a compact with a tribe that will put a mega-casino on Highway 99 in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. The state will get a cut of the proceeds, which is all that seems to matter for the governor. The Bee's editorial board opposes this casino and laid out our reasoning in this editorial.
The North Fork Rancheria of the Mono Indians doesn't even have federal approval yet for the casino almost 40 miles from its traditional homeland, yet Schwarzenegger is jumping the gun on state approval. Maybe the Legislature won't roll over so easily on this deal when the compact comes to the Assembly and Senate for approval.
This is reservation shopping by the tribe. No matter how you spin this deal, it goes against Schwarzenegger's opposition to casinos in metropolitan areas.
"Placing a casino along Highway 99 right at the foot of the city of Fresno is certainly an urban casino -- there is no other way to see it," said state Sen. Dean Florez, a longtime opponent of the North Fork casino, Florez chairs a key legislative committee in charge of reviewing gaming compacts.
Quotes from Dean Flores makes me always turn to the other side. In this case I disagree Jim. Madera has so many needs and high pockets of poverty that this casino makes sense. If the community is for it then why does a politician from Taft or the Bee have any right to be against it. Maybe Dean is just trying to raise campaign contribution for his next run for office.
I'm not opposed to the North Fork tribe having a casino in Madera County -- on their tribal lands. And I think Madera would benefit from a North Fork casino. The question is whether tribes should be allowed to establish casinos off of their reservations/tribal lands - which is what North Fork is proposing. There was clearly an understanding that tribal gaming was to occur on tribal lands - it was a bedrock of arguments tribes put forward during their campaigns for Indian gaming. If a tribal gaming casino can be moved anywhere around the state - especially for competitive reasons -- then what is the purpose of providing tribes with a gaming monopoly? Gaming was to occur on their lands - and if there are environmental concerns, then the tribe needs to do what other businesses do -- mitigate for the environmental effects of the development in order to operate.
...the "high pockets of poverty" provide the demographic regulars at any casino. there is no magic revenue, losers dramaticaly outnumber winners, and often the losers have lost the money originally designated for the "baby's new shoes".
Senator Florez needs to remember that North Fork's Rancheria in North Fork is in trust for 6 individual citizen's of the tribe, not the tribe. The tribe has NO governmental authority over the land. According to the EIS, to mitigate the environmental effects of a development on that land, it would be very very difficult because the rancheria land could not sustain a development that is the same size as the Madera site! This tribe needs to support a tribe of 1700!! Building a much smaller development would only support itself. Plus Senator Florez needs to remember he HAS voted in the past for 2 "off reservation" compacts, Paskenta and United Auburn. Both compacts were ratified PRIOR to their lands going into trust, and yes Senator Florez, you voted YES. North Fork is not asking for ratification until their lands off of Highway 99 are into trust. If the Governor had not executed the compact prior to the land going into trust, the State could very well look at another Lytton on Highway 99.
Don't legislate morality to us and what we spend at a Casino.
Casinos spend more money on the community that Churches do and both like to take your money in the long run. I'm not sure tourists would stop in your town for a church though.
I'm getting fed up with the Fresno telling another community what they can and can't do. Fresno has more problems than any city in California, yet they're always complaing about somebody elses plans.
Maybe the Bee's Editorial Staff can help there instead of "recommending" something else to their readers.
The prerequisite for building off tribal lands has already been set. That's not even an issue anymore. Bribes and Campaign donations from the other Tribes is.
What little town are you from Dean? Sorry I don't remember it, maybe you can legislate something to make us remember it. We know it's the only thing that makes you feel better.
I agree with the previous writer, if Dean is on one side of an issue, your safe to be on the other.