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California Courts Urged to Keep Slots Off Ballot

SACRAMENTO, California – As reported by the L.A. Times: "Siding with Indian tribes that own casinos and against horse tracks and card rooms, legislative leaders on Thursday urged the California Supreme Court to keep off the ballot a proposed initiative that threatens the tribes' state monopoly on Nevada-style casinos.

"In an unusually strong display of unity, Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco), Senate Republican leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield joined several tribes in urging that the high court decide whether to permit a statewide vote on the proposition.

"In a written argument to the court, the legislators denounced the initiative as a 'power grab by a few card rooms and racetracks to obtain slot machines,' and noted that the Legislature had rejected their efforts to gain slots.

"…Under the initiative, tribes would be expected to pay 25% of their gambling profits — $1 billion or more a year — to state and local governments. The initiative also says that if any single tribe refuses to abide by its terms, then 11 existing card rooms and five racetracks would divide 30,000 slot machines…"

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