Critics: Oregon Governor Sets Bad Precedent

As reported by the Register Guard: "Governors wield what amounts to a veto pen when it comes to off-reservation casinos.

"Just ask the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes, which tried in 2004 to win the approval of Colorado Gov. Bill Owens for an off-reservation casino near Denver's airport. Owens said no, and that was that.

"In Oregon, Gov. Ted Kulongoski has agreed to let the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs replace its Central Oregon casino with one in the Columbia River Gorge town of Cascade Locks. He signed a compact last year with the tribe that allows the casino, while securing environmental and labor safeguards plus millions of dollars for a college scholarship fund.

"While the governor and the tribes insist that such a move sets no legal precedent, others say it sets a precedent of the political sort.

"…Kulongoski and Warm Springs leaders reject the notion that the Gorge casino creates the 'if-you-let-one-tribe-move...' quandary that critics portray it to be.

"…'It's not a precedent because nobody else is going to come forward with the same fact pattern,' said David Reese, Kulongoski's legal counsel…"

2006-07-21