"Legislature Presents Indian Casino Views; Finney gets list, but has no
obligation to use recommendations." by John Petterson, Kansas Correspondent
Topeka -- A legislative committee wants Gov. Joan Finney to consider 16
items as she negotiattes casino gambling compacts with two Indian tribes.
However, Finney is under no obligation to fight for inclusion of those recom-
mendations.
In sending its list to the governor Tuesday, the six-member panel noted
that some of its members weren't convinced it had the authority to recommend
casino gambling activities that state law and the Kansas Constitution might
prohibit.
Shortly after the governor received the list, she continued her negotiations
with the Kickapoo Indian Nation and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe.
By evening, negotiators and members of the legislative committee were meet-
ing with federal Magistrate Ronald Newman in the continuing effort to reach
agreement on the compacts before May 11. This is the scheduled date for a
federal trial on allegations by the tribes that the state is acting in bad
faith in its negotiations.
Rep. Clyde Graeber, a Leavenworth Republican who is chairman of the panel,
described the items as "no more than recommendations for policy guidelines."
Here are some of the items lawmakers said they wanted included in the
state-tribal compacts:
* There should be only one casino on each reservation.
* A casino should not be allowed to operate more than 18 hrs. per day
* Kansas income tax should be collected on gaming winnings over
$1,000 by non-Indians
* No one under 21 should be allowed on the casino floor or allowed to
play any of the games.
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This is a huge, devisive issue in Kansas. While everyone else is beginning
to cash in on the riverboat-casino-gambling stampede, the Native American
tribes are being denied gambling/casinos on their reservations. And of course,
what's at issue is *who* profits if Indians get casinos on the reservations...
Note: If anyone else out there in NativeNet-Land has seen any factual
commentary on this issue pertaining to fear of Mafia involvement if casinos
*were* to be allowed on Native American reservations or land, I would
appreciate it if you would post it to the list. Thank you. -- Gaele
E. Gaele Gillespie / University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS 66045