Tribes file lawsuit to block statewide referenda

10.11.07

GAMING NEWS
California tribes dispute petitions

SACRAMENTO, California -- As reported by the Sacramento Bee: "Two Riverside County tribes claim opponents of their recent gambling deals missed the deadline to file signatures for February ballot measures that would give voters final say on whether they can expand their casinos.

"In lawsuits filed Wednesday, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning and the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians near Temecula contend Secretary of State Debra Bowen wrongly let the agreements' opponents have 90 days to gather voter signatures.

"...In their suits, the tribes argue that the 90-day window covers both circulating petitions as well as the weeks-long process of certifying signatures. Opponents of the deals turned in their last petitions on the Monday deadline -- too late to be certified, the plaintiffs say.

"...Gov. Schwarzenegger signed legislation ratifying the compacts with the Morongo and Pechanga tribes, as well as two other tribes, on July 10, when the 90-day clock started running.

"The deals would give the tribes permission to install up to 17,000 additional slot machines. In return, the tribes would pay the state as much as several-hundred million dollars annually.

"...The campaign said it turned in about 2.8 million signatures, about 300,000 more than the minimum number of valid voter signatures needed to qualify each referendum measure..."

ALSO...

• Riverside Press Enterprise: Two tribes sue to halt expansion challenge
• North County Times: Pechanga sues to keep gambling deal
• KQED - John Myers' Capitol Notes: Tribes Ask Court To Block Referendums

Opponents of CA Indian gaming compacts begin turning in referendum signatures

10.05.07

California voters may be asked to decide Indian casino expansion

By Aaron C. Davis Associated Press

Opponents of a nearly 30 percent expansion of tribal gambling began turning in petition signatures Friday for what could prove to be latest ballot fight over Indian casinos in California.

A group opposing deals between four wealthy Southern California tribes and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said it has collected enough signatures to let voters decide if the agreements should be revoked. It said the rest of the signatures will be turned in by Monday to the secretary of state's office.

The deals, which were approved by the Legislature in June, would allow the four tribes to install as many as 17,000 additional slot machines.

In exchange, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians in Cabazon, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Temecula and Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation in San Diego would share a percentage of their earnings with the state.

But a coalition of two other tribes, horsetrack owners and a casino workers' union say the deals are flawed. The coalition consists of the United Auburn Indian Community east of Sacramento, the Pala Band of Mission Indians in Riverside County, Unite HERE International Union and Terry Fancher, managing partner of the parent company of Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park race tracks.

They point to a state analyst's report that found the gambling expansion for the four tribes would not provide as much money to the state as promised. They also argue the deals amount to one of the single largest expansions of gambling in the nation's history and a major shift in the state's policy toward Indian gambling.

Al Lundeen, spokesman for the coalition, said the group began turning in nearly 700,000 signatures to put four referenda against the compacts on the Feb. 5 presidential primary ballot.

"Voters want to have a say, and they want to say no to this drastic change in gaming policy," Lundeen said.

Roger Salazar, a consultant for the four tribes targeted by the coalition, said those opposing the agreements have their own interests in mind.

"Two wealthy tribes who don't want competition and a Las Vegas casino mogul were able to bankroll this signature-gathering effort," Salazar said. "We think these are good agreements, and voters will feel the same when they learn more."

Tribes already operate more than 58,000 slot machines in California, where the Indian gambling industry generated an estimated $7 billion in annual revenue last year.

Salazar said a competing petition drive by the Agua Caliente, Morongo, Pechanga and Sycuan tribes collected 100,000 signatures in support of the compacts.

The tribes also sent workers to follow opposition signature gatherers and convinced nearly 15,000 of those who signed to rescind their signatures.

If the secretary of state certifies the referenda, the tribes likely would spend tens of millions of dollars to sway voters.

CA voters could decide fate of four casino expansions

10.01.07

GAMING NEWS

Voters may decide tribal casinos' fate

CALIFORNIA -- As reported by the North County Times: "Voters may get a chance in February to decide whether the Pechanga Resort & Casino near Temecula and three other Southern California Indian casinos should get any bigger.

"Racetrack owners, two tribes and a labor union are backing a signature-gathering effort to challenge the agreements that Pechanga and three other tribes signed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger earlier this year.

"The agreements would allow the four tribes ---- the Pechanga, Agua Caliente, Morongo and Sycuan bands ---- to operate up to 7,500 from 2,000 slots that each has now in exchange for a sharing their earnings with the state.

"...A nonpartisan analyst for the state Legislature said the tribe's estimates on how much the state is likely to get from the agreements appears to be unrealistic. And Pechanga officials have said that the tribe does not plan to install all ---- or any ---- of the 5,500 machines right away.

"...It is not the first time that tribal casinos have been challenged at the ballot box. In 2004, racetracks and card club owners backed a proposition targeting tribal casinos..."

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/09/30/news/top_stories/23_50_779_29_07.prt

Angry Detroit casino syndicators tied to those behind CA casino referendum

as posted 8.28.07 at indianz.com:

Big fight looms on California gaming referendum

The fight over four new gaming compacts could get even uglier, The Los Angeles Times reports.

A union and a racetrack owner are gathering signatures for a petition to put the compacts to a public vote. But the four tribes are countering with a campaign to convince people not to sign, or to withdraw their names from the petition.

"We're not looking for confrontation, we're just looking to inform the voters of California. . . . People should have the option to withdraw their names," Jacob Mejia, a spokesperson for the four tribes, told The Times.

The Unite-Here union and the racetrack owner are receiving financial support from the United Auburn Indian Community and the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The tribes say the new compacts will hurt smaller casinos.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation signed the compacts to add more slot machines to their facilities.

Get the Story:
Indian gambling battle brewing (The Los Angeles Times 8/28)
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It's worth noting that Unite-Here political director Jack Gribbon headed the failed 2007 lobbying fight to have the California legislature turn-down the four Compacts negotiated by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. And now the four compacts are targeted by the Unite-Here backed referendum.

Barwest LLC, a Detroit-based casino syndication headed by Michael J. Malik and Mrs. Marian Ilitch (she and husband Mike Ilitch co-founded Little Caesars Pizza; the family owns the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, MotorCity Casino, etc.) supported that lobbying effort.

A lobbyist for Barwest LLC reported in January 2007 that they had partnered with Gribbon to try and achieve their mutual objectives. During 2006, Michael Malik, with other past ties to horse racing, joined with racetrack owners and labor PACs in contributing to several California legislators who they'd hoped would champion their causes.

Two gaming compacts for off-reservation casinos championed by Barwest LLC (they would develop and manage proposed projects) have failed to win support in the California legislature in each of the last two annual legislative sessions.

Spokespeople for Barwest LLC, angry as of late, have blamed the political influence of California's successful gaming tribes for their failures despite the fact that Barwest's unorthodox projects have not been endorsed by any other Indian tribes in California (gaming or non-gaming); with the exception of their two intended partners the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians.

Barwest LLC was fined in 2006 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for two counts of violating California's political reform laws when principals of the entity failed to report a $26,600 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004.

It is also worth noting that the United Auburn Indian Community began a partnership with Las Vegas-based Station Casinos, Inc. dating back to at least 2000. Station California LLC has managed the tribe's Thunder Valley Casino Resort and shared in the profits.