Vote NO on Prop. 94 & Pechanga, 95, 96, 97 - A Lousy Deal

A lousy casino deal
The expansion of tribal gaming has seen an increase in the number of human and civil rights violations
By John Gomez, Sr.
OPINION

After spending millions in campaign contributions, four of the state's wealthiest and most powerful tribes — Pechanga, Morongo, Agua Caliente, and Sycuan — have cut themselves sweetheart deals for one of the largest expansions of casino gambling in United States history.
As a California Indian and vice-chairman of the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization, an organization working to protect the civil rights of Native Americans, I am deeply concerned that the deals on the February ballot — Propositions 94, 95, 96, and 97 — benefit four tribes at the expense of other tribes, the workers at these tribes' casinos, and California taxpayers.
The big four tribes bring in huge profits from their existing casinos and spend heavily to influence state laws. Yet they are eager to deny California voters their right to decide this issue and have fought to keep these deals off the ballot and prevent the voters from having their say. Could it be that the big four tribes know their sweetheart deals may not hold up to voter scrutiny?
Here are a few reasons to vote no on Props. 94, 95, 96, and 97.

Labor unions oppose the measures because the deals would shower four wealthy tribes with billions in profits but fail to ensure the most basic rights for casino workers, including affordable health insurance. A study conducted by David Farris, a University of California at Riverside professor of economics, found that Agua Caliente's health coverage is so expensive that 56 percent of the dependent children of casino workers are forced into taxpayer-funded health care programs.
In addition, the expansion of tribal gaming in California has seen an increase in the number of human and civil rights violations, especially within tribes that have gaming operations. These abuses have resulted in thousands of disenfranchised Indians being cut off from or denied health care benefits, elder benefits, education assistance, and other social services provided by their tribal governments.
Other tribes also oppose the deals. Just four of California's 108 tribes would get control over one-third of the state's Indian gaming pie. The deals would create dominant casinos that could economically devastate smaller tribes and local businesses. Moreover, the big four deals fail to adhere to the purpose and intent of previous gaming initiatives, which led California voters to believe there would be modest casino expansion and that Indian gaming would benefit all California Indians and taxpayers.
The big four deals would give these tribes an additional 17,000 slot machines. That's more than all of the slots at a dozen big Las Vegas casinos. As a result, California would become home to some of the largest casinos in the world.
While the big four would make billions of dollars from these new deals, promises to taxpayers would fall short. The claims about the amount of money the state would get under these deals are wildly exaggerated, and the state's independent, nonpartisan legislative analyst called the tribes' figures unrealistic. READ MORE *

John Gomez Sr.

Another Hunter added

Recently, my wife gave birth to our son. It was a very special birth to say the least. After a while i had a chance to think about what has happened to our family. We were kicked out of our tribe while we had Members of committies sleeping when we were showing the hundreds of pages of documentation. Some evidence they paid for and didnt even pay attention to it.

My Son now has no chance of the experience's I had. Going to the reservation to help family and going to tribal meetings as a boy. As an adult, he will not be able to attend meetings. He will never know what oppourtunity the Casino has brought to our tribe. He wont have voting rights that were stripped from us. He will recieve an education, but not from his tribe. He will get medical insurance, but again not from his tribe.

I'd like to think my son will be lucky, he will never have to go through pain of what many of my families children did, when they were removed from school and told that they were never to return because they are not Indian. But, I think he'd rather know his tribal heritage...

I think my son will be lucky when people do the right thing, and restore our proper tribal status. From Judges to the Governor to the people of California. I think California will be lucky when it Votes no on 94,95,96,97. When one tribe has wronged hundreds, all tribes should be held to account. When dishonest actions pay off for one tribe, the only honest action is to not support ALL Indian Casino's in California!

The fight against Pechanga.

The fight against Pechanga gets stronger....

Visit this site from Original Pechanga

http://originalpechanga.blogspot.com/

one of my favorite blogs...

I am a Disenrolled Pechanga member. A tribe who denies members their rights.

http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga