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California Sheriff to Back Casino Plan

SACRAMENTO — Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, backed by gambling interests and possibly major public employee unions, will be a main proponent of an initiative aimed at breaking Indian tribes' monopoly on Nevada-style gambling in California, consultants on the measure said Tuesday.

"At the same time, the chairman of a tribe that owns a large casino near San Bernardino raised the possibility that his band would not oppose the initiative.

"The proposal, which is expected to be filed with the California attorney general today as a first step toward placing it on the November 2004 ballot, would earmark as much as $1 billion from gambling profits for police, firefighting and education, particularly for troubled children and those in foster care.

"…According to the summary, the initiative would give tribes that own casinos 90 days to renegotiate their rights to gambling operations with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the tribes would have to agree to pay the state a fourth of their net gambling revenue.

"If they refused, five racetracks in California — Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows — would be allowed to operate a total of 15,000 slot machines. Eleven card rooms, including seven in Los Angeles and Orange counties, would receive the authority to run another 15,000 slot machines.

"…The initiative would establish a fund to be administered by five appointees of the governor. In addition to the money for police, firefighting and education, $1.2 million would go to tribes that have no casinos, and $3 million would be used to combat problem gambling.

"Corporations that own the tracks and card rooms will probably be the major financial backers of the initiative campaign.

"…Deron Marquez, chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, said the backers appear willing to `step on every compact ever created' to win the right to operate profitable slot machines…"

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