Siegelman says he would negotiate casino compact

Phillip Rawls

Monday, Aug. 8, 2005 | 9:19 a.m.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Former Gov. Don Siegelman said Friday that if he were Alabama's next governor, he would try to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Creek Indians that would allow them to operate full-fledged casinos, provided they paid substantial money to the state.

Federal law allows Indian tribes to operate any type of gambling that is legal in a state and not pay taxes to the state. But governors in some states have negotiated compacts with Indians that allow them to operate other types of gambling on their tribal lands, provided they make payments to the state.

"Yes, I would negotiate," Siegelman said at a news conference Friday.

The governor said he doesn't like casino gambling, but he expects the Poarch Creek Indians' gambling halls in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka to keep growing because the tribe is working with Harrah's.

The state, which gets no taxes from the operation, should agree to full-fledged casinos provided the tribe pays "a substantial amount of the proceeds," he said.

The Creeks' gambling halls have electronic machines, but no table games. Tribal gaming officials did not immediately return calls seeking comment on Siegelman's remarks.

Siegelman said that if he were governor, he'd also be OK with some counties pushing constitutional amendments to legalize casino gambling like Mississippi.

Noting the many buses that travel daily from Alabama's major cities to Mississippi casinos, Siegelman said, "It is a viable economic option I think we should look at."

But he said, "It's not up to the governor. It's up to the people."

Siegelman said his personal goal would be to create a state lottery to fund education programs. The former Democratic governor got the Legislature to approve a lottery referendum in 1999, but Alabama voters turned down the idea.

Siegelman has not said whether he will seek a second term in 2006, but he moved a step closer Friday by filing organizational papers for an official campaign committee with the secretary of state. Siegelman listed his brother, Birmingham businessman Les Siegelman, as chairman of the Siegelman '06 Committee.

State law requires politicians to file organization papers for campaign committees when they raise or spend $25,000 in pursuit of an office.

Siegelman sent letters to supporters July 6, saying he wanted to raise $50,000 within three weeks. Siegelman said Friday he needed to file the campaign paperwork Friday since he was at or near the $25,000 threshold.

But Siegelman cautioned that "this is not an announcement that I am entering the race." He said he will make a decision late this year or early next year.

If he runs, he will face Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley in the Democratic primary in June.

One other candidate for governor, former state Rep. Nathan Mathis of Slocomb, has advocated expanding gambling in Alabama. Mathis is seeking enough signatures from voters to qualify as an independent.