Bill aims to force tribes to renegotiate compacts

Ashley H. Grant

Friday, March 12, 2004 | 9:05 a.m.

ST. PAUL -- Indians flooded the Capitol steps this week to protest a bill that would ban slot machines in Minnesota by 2006 if tribes refuse to renegotiate their gambling compacts with the state.

"Stop the war against tribal gaming in Minnesota," John McCarthy, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, said to cheers from the group of more than 1,000 on Tuesday.

Minnesota's compacts have no expiration date and the 11 tribal governments collectively give the state about $150,000 annually to help regulate the industry -- far less than the millions of dollars some tribes share with other states as part of their compacts.

The bill would force the tribes back to the table with the governor. Among other things, the renegotiated compacts would have to raise the legal gambling age to 21, share tribes' gambling revenues with the state, and expire within 20 years.

The proposal's sponsors, Sen. Tom Neuville and Rep. Jim Knoblach, said the state needs more money for enforcement of the gaming industry. And they said if the tribes come back to the table, the governor should ask that the ones with more profits to share more with those still struggling such as the White Earth and Red Lake bands in northwestern Minnesota.

Tribal members say their compacts were negotiated in good faith and they shouldn't be forced back to the table. Shutting down slot machines would effectively close every casino in the state, taking with it many jobs, McCarthy said.

The state's Indian tribes run the state's 17 casinos, which are some of the largest employers in the state.

"We created 14,000 jobs in the state of Minnesota. We don't want to lose them," said Melanie Benjamin, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. "We are pulling our people out of poverty and we don't want to go back."

Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, was among the parade of lawmakers who spoke to the crowd.

"Charleton Heston once said, 'They'll get my gun when they pry my dead, cold fingers from it,' " Murphy said. "And I'm telling you that they're going to take Indian gaming way from Indians only if they can pry my cold, dead finger off my 'no' button because I will vote 'no' every time."

He represents the area that includes Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson said the issue needed to be dealt with in a respectful way and asked tribal members to think about whether there might be a compromise.

"I think that it's time we are very proactive ... We're here to work with you. We want to be a partner with you."

Johnson said he had been meeting with tribal leaders and had suggested several ideas he thought might be beneficial to the state and the tribes such as donating to the University of Minnesota in exchange for tuition breaks.

"They smiled," he said. "I'm trying to plant some seeds of reasonableness and compromise."

Ultimately, however, the decision should be up to tribes, he said.

"It's their money. I'm kind of throwing mud on the wall to see what sticks," Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said.

Besides the proposal to shut down slot machines, the Legislature is considering several other gambling initiatives, including several that would allow private or state-sponsored casinos.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has said the state needs to "explore a better deal for Minnesotans," than the compacts that were negotiated 15 years ago.