Saturday, July 01, 2006

As reported by the San Diego Union Tribune: "Just weeks after extending an
olive branch to the state's most powerful Indian tribes, Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger is threatening to try to shut down six of their casinos -
including two of the largest in San Diego County - in a dispute over how
their slot machine numbers are tallied. "In a letter this month from his top
lawyer, Schwarzenegger rejected a proposed compromise from Sycuan, Barona
and four other tribes, warning he would seek a court order to revoke their
gambling compacts unless they remove the machines in question or tally them
as the state insists. "The move has tribal officials questioning why
Schwarzenegger would launch what could be a major battle over a device that,
as of now, accounts for only a small sliver of California's $7 billion
Indian gaming industry.

".Schwarzenegger spokesman Darrel Ng said that after a year of negotiations,
the governor is convinced that some tribes are using slot machines with
multiple seats to exceed the slot limits of state gambling agreements, or
compacts.

".In response to Schwarzenegger's edict on multistation machines, Pechanga
Chairman Mark Macarro and the alliance group chairwoman, Lynn Valbuena of
San Manuel, both issued brief prepared statements, saying they remain
hopeful of resolving the dispute. A Morongo spokeswoman said Chairman
Maurice Lyons considers the governor's stance 'disproportionately
hostile.'."