In voting ‘yes’ to Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 in California, the compacts signed with four Southern Californian tribes will be ratified. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigned hard for the yes vote and was backed by Fire and Law Enforcement Associations as well as the Local Economic Development agency and Indian tribes.

Against the four propositions were the California Federation of Teachers, who claimed that not one penny of extra education revenue was promised, and the American Indian Rights and Resources Organisation. Some tribes were against the new compacts, considering them as a raw deal for the smaller Indian nations in California. Labour unions were also against the ‘Big 4’ deals.

Key provisions in the agreements include: • Increased state regulatory oversight through audits and random inspections. • Strict new environmental standards for casino-related projects. • Binding mitigation agreements that increase coordination between tribes and local governments, including compensation for law enforcement and fire services. • Increased protections for casino workers, including the right to unionize.

According to the proponents of the Propositions, the agreements will create thousands of new jobs for Indians and non-Indians. Also, under the new agreements, these tribes will share tens of millions of dollars from their revenues with tribes that have little or no gaming. The arguments against included the easily manipulated revenue sharing formula that allows the four tribes to decide how much to pay the state.

Californians have voted to approve the compact deals struck with the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians near Temecula, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Cabazon, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation near San Diego. Getting the major expansion of tribal gaming meant a costly election battle when a coalition of two other gambling-rich tribes, a horse track owner and a casino workers' union gathered nearly a million signatures to force the measures onto the ballot.

Schwarzenegger's state budget, based on increased revenue from the extra slot machines, could be overly optimistic as the tribes have said that expansion may have to wait for improvement in the economy. At the time of writing, with not all precincts of California having reported, around 55.5% had voted ‘yes’ to Props 94, 95, 96 and 97. The four tribes can almost certainly commence plans to add a combined 17,000 slot machines to those already in operation, competing in size with the casinos in neighbouring Nevada. (E-02.06.08)

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