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Democrats Criticize California Casino Plan

SAN FRANCISCO, California – As reported by the Associated Press: "San Francisco Bay area residents were already steamed last week when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared them solely responsible for the ballooning costs of the Bay Bridge earthquake retrofit.

"Then, Schwarzenegger tossed another bombshell onto Bay Area commuters, inking a deal to put California's first urban casino - a gigantic Indian palace with 5,000 slot machines, more than the biggest Las Vegas casino - in San Pablo, right alongside traffic-clogged Interstate 80.

"…Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland, called the governor's bridge funding position a 'non-starter' and criticized the casino deal as 'mind-boggling' in the detrimental impact it could have on the Bay Area.

"…Meanwhile, the agreement establishing the new casino grew out of federal legislation authored by Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez. That law authorized the 259-member Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to build a casino on a nine acre sliver of land in San Pablo, a working class suburb 20 miles from San Francisco.

"The legislation compelled the state to negotiate in good faith for the casino, but Miller spokesman Danny Weiss said they thought it would have no more than 2,000 slots.

"Weiss said Miller wasn't pleased that Schwarzenegger was laying responsibility for the casino on him, given that the governor has vowed to seek more Indian gaming revenue to help solve the state's budget woes.

"…'(Miller) is concerned that the governor has chosen to solve the budget problems of California by changing the nature of gaming without regard to the impact on local communities,' Weiss said…"

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