Fife Symington has not been at all responsive to AZ tribes
or Indian communities' concerns. As far as the gaming
situation goes, he has repeatedly refused to engage in good
faith negotiations with tribes-- and has then attempted to
shut down tribal casinos (re: Ft. McDowell) because they
were operating without a state compact. (just a little hard
to do when the State Attorney general refuses to sit down
IMHO, Mr. Symington eptomizes the big business/money
interests in AZ and their reluctance to acknowledge tribes
or the problems faced by tribal people. Their only concern
seems to be that tribal gaming operations or enterprise
zones will reduce their personal profits.
Their business operations and ideas for state
government have not assisted tribal people or
helped build infrastructure for a quarter of
AZ's land base, and now they fear some competition from the
communities they assumed they could ignore to their
benefit. Unfortunately, it looks like there will be four
more years of this attitude.
Maybe next time...
jean
Jean_Kelley@nps.gov
(who doesn't have to move to Maryland now that Mr. North is
*Not* going to Congress)