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Shwarzenegger Makes Historic Deal Over Indian Casino
MADERO, CALIFORNIA --
In what may go down as an historic move, Governor Schwarzenegger of California brokered a deal with the Mono Indians of the North Fork Rancheria, allowing the tribe to build a new casino with the stipulation that a percentage of the funds go to support the Wiyot Tribe in Humboldt County.
The Mono will construct a $250 million casino along Highway 99, north of Madero, pending approval by the state legislature and the Department of the Interior.
The Wiyot, a tribe of approxiamately 600, had negotiated away its own casino rights due to the tribe's location near ecologically valued areas of Humboldt Bay.
If the Mono casino opens, it will be committed to an annual $5 million payment to the Wiyot.
The concept of spreading the wealth among the haves and have-nots among tribes may be more and more important. While some tribes rake in fortunes per member, others still languish in deep poverty. In other cases, tribal councils have disenrolled many members, and hidden the use of casino funds from public eyes.
Using this great source of wealth to carry all Native Americans to a decent standard of life should be a primary goal of the tribes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of the Interior, and all legislatures who rule in thses matters. As proliferation threatens the income of Indian casinos, the natural effect will be to permit fewer and fewer.
Existing casinos, and proposed new casinos even more so, should commit to helping as many people in all tribes possible; and a new level of transparency must be demanded by Indian statesmen, helping their brothers rather than giving in to greed.
Local citizenry have voiced concerns about increased traffic and air pollution, but perhaps it can be remembered these are people of a sovereign nation, living in poverty perhaps unimaginable to the complaining voters. How can we not allow them a chance at education, health, a life we ourselves might treasure? And how can their leaders not insist every dollar be spent for the public good, at least until the people have jobs, runing water, clothes for their children, food for the table?
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