I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO
SHOWED UP AND ONCE AGAIN I
APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A COUPLE OF
MINUTES LATE THERE. THE ASSEMBLY
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO
ORDER. MY NAME'S
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MIGUEL SANTIAGO
, CHAIR OF THE GEO COMMITTEE,
AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME EVERYBODY
TO TODAY'S INFORMATIONAL
HEARING. AGAIN I WANT TO REMIND
EVERY THERE IS NO VOTE HERE
TODAY IS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL
HEARING. UM COUPLE HOUSEKEEPING
THINGS. THE CALL NUMBER FOR THE
PUBLIC IS 877692. 8957. THE
CALLING NUMBER FOR THE PUBLIC
WILL BE 877692. 8957 AND THE
ACCESS CODE IS 18 50 11 00. THAT
IS 1850 11 00. THIS NUMBER CAN
ALSO BE FINE ON THE COMMITTEE'S
WEBSITE AND IS DISPLAYED ON YOUR
SCREENS. FOR THOSE CALLING IN
PLEASE MUTE YOURSELF WHILE
YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE TO
ELIMINATING BACKGROUND NOISE.
YOU WILL BE PLACED IN THE QUEUE
UNTIL THAT UNTIL YOUR
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT. WHEN IT IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT. PRESS ONE, THEN ZERO,
MUTE YOURSELF IN ORDER IN ORDER
TO SPEAK. HE'S PLEASE BE BRIEF
AND CONCISE TO YOUR COMMENTS AND
POSITION ON THE COMPACT BEFORE
YOU. THE TRIBAL STATE GAMING
COMPACTS BEFORE US TODAY WERE
EXECUTED ON JUNE 30TH BETWEEN
GOVERNOR NEWSOM ON BEHALF OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND READING.
RENTERIA, CALIFORNIA TODAY,
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PRINCIPAL
ARCHITECTS OF THE COMPACT THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. AND THE CHAIR
OF THE TRIBE. THE COMPACT
AUTHORIZES THE TRIBE TO OPERATE
A MAXIMUM OF 100. SORRY 1200
SLOT MACHINES, THE TRIBE WILL BE
AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE NO MORE
THAN TWO GAMING FACILITIES AND
ENGAGED CLASS THREE GAMING ON
ELIGIBLE LAND HELD IN TRUST FOR
THE TRIBE BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT THAT IS LOCATED
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF REDDING
RANCHERIA OR ON LANDS IDENTIFIED
AS STRAWBERRY FIELDS, AS
DESCRIBED IN THE COMPACT. ISSUED
BE NOTED THAT GAMING CAN ONLY
TAKE PLACE AT THE STRAWBERRY
FIELDS PARCEL IF THE LAND IS
TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR GAMING
PURPOSES AFTER MEETING THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE WELL DEFINED
FEDERAL LEGAL PROCESS, THE
COMPACT ALSO STATES IF THE
TRIBES STARTS GAINING ON
STRAWBERRY FIELDS, IT MUST STOP
GAMING ON ITS CURRENT CASINO
SITE. UNDER THE COMPACT. UNDER
THE COMPACT. THE TRIBE HAS
AGREED TO PAY THE STATE IT'S PRO
RATED SHARE OF COST THE STATING
CURVES FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF
ITS DUTIES UNDER THE COMPACT,
THE COMPACT REQUIRES A TRIBE TO
PAY 0.1% NET NET WIND TO
NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS TO
MITIGATE IMPACTS OF THOSE
ENTITIES RESULTING FROM
OPERATION THE GAMING FACILITY.
UH I'M PLEASED TO SEE THE
COMPACT MIRRORS MANY OF THE
RECENT COMPACTS THAT HAVE COME
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE IN THE AREA
OF MEANINGFUL CONSUMER AND
EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS, LICENSING
, REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND LABOR
PROVISIONS ALLOW WORKERS UNIONS
UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS ONCE
AFFECTIVE. THE LARGER COMPACT
WILL BE IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT
FOR 25 YEARS FOLLOWING THE
EFFECTIVE DATE. I JUST WANT TO
REMIND ALL THE DISTRICT PARTIES
THAT THERE IS NO FORMAL VOTE
WILL BE TAKEN TODAY. TODAY'S
HEARING IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO
BE BRIEFED ON THE CONTENT OF THE
COMPACT AS THEY WILL NOT BE
AMENDED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND
AGAIN WOULD REPEAT THAT THERE IS
NO FORMAL VOTE HERE TODAY. A B 8
50 54 WILL BE BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS, WHO SITS
ON THE COMMITTEE IS THE
RATIFICATION BILL FOR THE
COMPACT BEFORE US TODAY. AT SOME
POINT, THIS BILL WILL BE TAKEN
UP BY CONSIDERATION BY THE
ENTIRE BODY IN THE ASSEMBLY
FLOOR. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR
WITNESSES IN ADVANCE FOR TAKING
THE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY
SCHEDULES TO BE WITH US. UM AND
I'M GONNA SET A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT RULES HERE JUST TO
MAKE IT AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE.
DEPUTY, EVERYONE, UM SO WE ARE
GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS
OF HAVING THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
PRESENT. HMM. APARTMENT GROWTH.
THIRD UH, THE CHAIRMAN PRESENT
ON BEHALF OF THE COMPACTS. UH
HUH. AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED. IF
THERE'S ANY TRIBAL CHAIR CHAIRS
HERE, I WILL. I WILL ALLOW THEM
TO COME UP TO PRESENT IN
SUPPORT. THOSE IN SUPPORT CAN
PRESENT FIRST AND ALLOWED TWO
MINUTES. UH, AT THE MICROPHONE
THAT IS SET THERE. UM IF THERE'S
ANY TRIBAL CHAIRS HERE IN
OPPOSITION, I WILL ALLOW THEM TO
ALSO TO PRESENT IN TWO MINUTES.
UM JUST JUST URGE THAT WE'RE
RESPECTFUL. UM AND WE AND THEN
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND I'LL SAY
THE SAME THING. UM I'LL ECHO THE
SAME COMMENTS THERE ANY GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENTS I'LL ALLOW TO
COME UP. IN SUPPORT FIRST AND
THEN AN OPPOSITION. I'LL ASK THE
NAME STATE OR THE STATE, YOUR
NAME ORGANIZATION AND POSITION
ONLY. UH AND THEN I WILL A LOT A
LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THAN WE
NORMALLY HAD. USUALLY FOR
GENERAL COMMENTS, I SAY, STATE,
YOUR NAME POSITION AND
ORGANIZATION ONLY. UM I
RECOMMEND 30 SECONDS. BUT YOU
KNOW, IF YOU NEED ME TO USE A
MINUTE, THEN YOU CAN TO ALLOW
ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE A POINT.
AGAIN UM, I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE
TURNOUT BUT MOSTLY ASKED FOR OUR
RESPECTFUL PRESENTATION AS WE
MOVE FORWARD ON THESE COMPACTS.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET'S
BEGIN THE HEARING. I'D ASK THE
BILL'S AUTHOR ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RAMOS. IF HE HAS ANY OPENING
COMMENTS. I RECOGNIZE THAT THE
VICE CHAIRS HERE ANOTHER ANOTHER
MEMBERS, ALWAYS A LOT. THE VICE
CHAIR ANY COMMENTS HE'D LIKE TO
MAKE. BUT MR RAMOS, IT IS YOUR
COMPACT. UM YOU'RE WELCOME TO
MAKE ANY OPENING STATEMENTS. IF
YOU WISH TO. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. TODAY. A B 8 45. IS A
COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO
SOVEREIGN NATIONS STATE OF
CALIFORNIA REDDING RANCHERIA
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT. OUR ROLE IN
THE LEGISLATURE IS TO MOVE
FORWARD. WHAT'S BEEN AGREED TO
BY THE TWO SOVEREIGN BODIES
MOVING FORWARD. THE LEGISLATURE
IS NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE
AMENDMENTS OR TO, UM MOVE THINGS
AROUND IN THE COMPACT ITSELF.
THE COMPACT ITSELF DOES TALK
ABOUT A PROCEDURE THAT STILL
NEEDS TO HAPPEN FURTHER DOWN A
FEDERALIZATION PROCESS. THAT'S
WITHIN THAT. BUT ALSO JUST WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THESE COMPACTS
THAT OUR MIND IS AN
AUTOMATICALLY GO STRAIGHT TO
GAMING IN THE CASINOS THAT IT'S
MORE OF HISTORICAL VALUE OF
CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE
ATROCITIES INFLICTED UPON THEM.
CERTAINLY WHAT THIS COMPACT
REPRESENTS, UM TO THE PEOPLE IN
REDDING RANCHERIA AND THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. AS ECONOMIC
GROWTH. THIS COMPACT IN FRONT OF
US HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED BY THE
TWO SOVEREIGN BODIES. AND I
WOULD URGE, UM, THOSE TO LISTEN
TO THE COMMENTS BOTH PRO AND CON
ON THIS ISSUE AS IT WILL BE
COMING TO THE FLOOR TO TAKE A
VOTE ON THE ASSEMBLY. JUST WANT
TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR
KEEPING AN OPEN MIND AND LOOKING
AT THIS MORE THAN JUST A GAMING
COMPACT, LOOKING AT IT MORE AS A
CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE HERE IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU.
THERE'S A LOT OF THE VICE CHAIR
TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS HE WISHES
TO IF HE IF HE DECIDES TO YEAH,
THE ONLY COMMENTS I'LL MAKE IS
THAT I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT
THIS COMPACT PROCESS, BUT AS WAS
JUST MENTIONED AND THIS BEING AN
INFORMATION ONLY HEARING. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT STILL THAT
WE LISTEN. AND WE LISTENED TO
BOTH SIDES OF THIS VERY DELICATE
DETERMINATION. BECAUSE WE'RE
WE'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING WAY
MORE THAN GAMBLING. WE'RE
DEALING WITH SOME THINGS THAT
ARE VERY, VERY SACRED AND VERY
IMPORTANT CULTURE. AND SO I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
GIVE ALL MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPRESS THEIR THEIR
PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I THINK UM
, SOMETHING THAT'S LACKING IN
GOVERNMENT IS TRUST. AND I THINK
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY YOU BUILD
IT IS WHEN YOU GENUINELY LISTEN
TO PEOPLE, AND SO I'M EXCITED TO
HAVE A CHANCE TO LISTEN. I HAVE
A GENERAL IDEA WHAT I'M GOING TO
HEAR, BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE COMMUNICATION THAT'S ABOUT
READY TO TAKE PLACE. I JUST WANT
TO ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF MY
COLLEAGUES AND THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. I
WANT TO GO AHEAD AND BEGINNING,
UM AND ASKED THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE. UH, TO COME UP.
PRESENTED DESK.
YES, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR
CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS NATHAN VOCALLY. I'M THE
SENIOR ADVISER FOR TRAVEL
NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE. I'D LIKE TO START BY
THINKING REDDING RANCHERIA,
TRIBAL CHAIRPERSON POTTER AND
HIS TEAM THAT WORKED HARD TO
NEGOTIATE THIS NEW COMPACT,
WHICH IS ALSO EXPECTED TO SETTLE
ONGOING LITIGATION BETWEEN THE
STATE AND THE TRIBE. I'M GONNA
GIVE A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE
TRIBAL STATE COMPACTS PROCESS
AND THE EXISTING LITIGATION WITH
THE TRIBE BEFORE HIGHLIGHTING A
FEW OF THE SPECIFIC TERMS THAT
CHAIRMAN YOU TOUCHED ON AS WELL
FOR READING RENTERIA'S COMPACT
THE FEDERAL INDIAN GAMING
REGULATORY ACTOR YOU GROW,
AUTHORIZES A TRIBE TO OFFER SLOT
MACHINES AND OTHER CLASS THREE
GAMES THAT ARE PERMITTED IN THE
STATE IF THE TRIBE IS NEGOTIATED
A CLASS THREE GAMING COMPACT
GROW BROADLY LIMITS COMPACTS TO
SUBJECTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE
OPERATION OF GAMING ACTIVITIES
IN 2000, CALIFORNIA VOTERS
APPROVED PROPOSITION ONE A,
WHICH AMENDED THE CALIFORNIA
CONSTITUTION TO PERMIT TRIBES
STOP RIGHT SLOT MACHINES,
BANKING AND PERCENTAGE CARD
GAMES AND LOTTERY GAMES ON
TRIBAL LANDS. THE GOVERNOR IS
AUTHORIZED TO NEGOTIATE TRIBAL
STATE COMPACTS. BUT THEY MUST BE
RATIFIED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
ONCE RATIFIED, REQUIRES THE
SECRETARY OF THE U. S.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR TO
CONDUCT A 45 DAY REVIEW. DURING
THAT TIME, THE SECRETARY CAN
APPROVE THE COMPACT DISAPPROVED
THE COMPACT OR NOT ACT ON IT, IN
WHICH CASE IT IS DEEMED
APPROVED. AGREE REQUIRES THE
STATE TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH
IN 1999, CALIFORNIA VOTERS
APPROVED PROPOSITION FIVE. WHICH
INCLUDED A PROVISION ALLOWING A
TRIBE TO SUE THE STATE IF IT
THINKS THE STATE IS NOT
NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH. THE
COURT FINDS THE STATE FAILED TO
NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH THAN THE
TRIBE IS ABLE TO PROCEED
THROUGH. IT GROWS REMEDIAL
PROCESS. THIS PROCESS ULTIMATELY
ALLOWS THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR TO ISSUE PROCEDURES
THAT ALLOW THE TRIBE TO CONDUCT
GAMING WITHOUT THE STATE'S
AGREEMENT THROUGH A COMPACT IN
MARCH, 2021 REDDING RANCHERIA
SUED THE STATE, ALLEGING THAT
THE STATE FAILED TO NEGOTIATE IN
GOOD FAITH FOR A NEW COMPACT TO
REPLACE THE TRIBES. 1999
COMPACT. RATHER THAN CONTINUE
WITH LITIGATION. THE TRIBE AND
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE NEGOTIATED
THIS NEW COMPACT THE LITIGATION
IS NOW STAYED TO ALLOW THE TRIBE
AND THE TO ALLOW THE NEW COMPACT
TO MOVE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE
RATIFICATION IN FEDERAL REVIEW
PROCESS. THE COMPACT TAKES
EFFECT. IT WILL RESOLVE THE
LITIGATION AND AVOID SEVERAS
REMEDIAL PROCESS THAT COULD
RESULT IN INTERIOR ISSUING
PROCEDURES IN LIEU OF A COMPACT.
THE REDDING RANCHERIA COMPACT
REFLECTS THE GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT NATURE OF THE TRIBAL
STATE RELATIONSHIP AND
REPRESENTS A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT
BETWEEN THE TRIBE AND THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO NEGOTIATE
AN AGREEMENT THAT MEETS THE
NEEDS OF BOTH SIDES DESPITE
CONTENTIOUS LITIGATION. THE
COMPACT TERM IS FOR 25 YEARS AND
INCLUDES FORCE MAJEURE LANGUAGE
TO ADDRESS REDUCED OPERATIONS
FROM PANDEMICS, WILDFIRE FIRES
AND OTHER EVENTS OUTSIDE OF THE
TRIBES CONTROL. THE TRIBE HAS
THE RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE AN
AMENDMENT IF TRIBES IN
CALIFORNIA GAINED THE RIGHT TO
OPERATE A NEW FORM OF CLASS
THREE GAMING OR LOSE THEIR
EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TOP RATE GAMING
DEVICES. REDDING RANCHERIA UNDER
ITS CURRENT 1999 COMPACT
OPERATES THE WIND RIVER CASINO
AND READING AND CAST A COUNTY.
THE NEW COMPACT AUTHORIZES THE
TRIBE TO OPERATE UP TO 1200
GAMING DEVICES AT TWO
FACILITIES. THE TRIBAL REIMBURSE
THE STATE. IT'S PRO RATA SHARE
OF THE STATE'S REGULATORY COSTS
THROUGH PAYMENTS INTO THE
SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION FUND. BUT
IS NOT OBLIGATED TO CONTRIBUTE
ANY FUNDS TO THE REVENUE SHARING
TRUST FUND. THE REDDING
RANCHERIA COMPACT INCLUDES A
REQUIREMENT THAT THE TRIBES SET
ASIDE AND DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO
MITIGATE IMPACTS FROM THE GAMING
FACILITY ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
THE TRIBE AGREED TO ANNUALLY
DISTRIBUTE 1% OF ITS NET NGUYEN
TO NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS FOR
THIS PURPOSE, AND THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE AGREED THAT THE TRIBE
COULD CREDIT LARGE ONE TIME
PAYMENTS AGAINST FUTURE
OBLIGATIONS FOR UP TO FIVE
YEARS. IF THE TRIBE LATER SEEKS
TO OPERATE MORE THAN 1200
DEVICES. IT MAY REQUEST
NEGOTIATIONS SUBJECT TO
AGREEMENT ON PAYMENTS INTO THE
REVENUE SHARING TRUST FUND AND
DISTRIBUTIONS TO MITIGATE
IMPACTS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
REDDING RANCHERIA IS COMPACT
INCLUDES A PROVISION ADDRESSING
LANDS THAT TRIBE OWNS THAT ARE
KNOWN AS STRAWBERRY FIELDS.
UNDER IGRA, A TRIBE IS GENERALLY
PROHIBITED FROM CONDUCTING
GAMING ON LANDS TAKEN INTO
TRUST. AFTER 1988. TWO
EXCEPTIONS TO THIS PROHIBITION
ARE RELEVANT HERE AND ARE KNOWN
AS THE RESTORED LANDS EXCEPTION
AND THE TWO PART DETERMINATION
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR IS
SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR
DETERMINING WHICH, IF ANY
EXCEPTIONAL APPLIES I KNEW THEIR
HISTORIC LANDS EXCEPTION A TRIBE
GAME ON LANDS TAKEN INTO TRUST
AFTER 1988. FOR A TRIBE THAT HAS
REGAINED FEDERAL RECOGNITION.
UNDER THE TWO PART DETERMINATION
EXCEPTION. A TRIBE A GAME ON THE
LAND OF THE GOVERNOR CONCURS IN
THE DECISION BY THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR THAT GAMING ON THE
SITE WOULD BE IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE TRIBE AND NOT
DETRIMENTAL TO THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY. THE RESTORED LANDS
EXCEPTION IS A DETERMINATION
MADE SOLELY BY THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR WITH NO ROLE FOR
THE GOVERNOR. IN CONTRAST, A TWO
PART DETERMINATION REQUIRES THE
GOVERNOR CONCUR IN THE
SECRETARY'S DECISION. IN 2003
REDDING RANCHERIA REQUESTED THE
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR,
TAKE STRAWBERRY FIELDS INTO
TRUST. THAT REQUEST WAS DENIED
BY INTERIOR IN 2010. THE TRIBE
APPEALED THAT DECISION TO THE
NINTH CIRCUIT. AND THAT AND THE
TRIBE AND INTERIOR LATER SIGNED
AN MOU AGREEING THAT STRAWBERRY
FIELDS WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE
RESTORED LANDS EXCEPTION UNDER
IGRA IF THE TRIBE PERMANENTLY
CLOSED ITS WIND RIVER CASINO
BEFORE IT STARTED GAMING AT
STRAWBERRY FIELDS IN 2020
INTERIOR, NOTIFY THE TRIBE THAT
IT WAS WITHDRAWING ITS
PARTICIPATION IN MOU. AND NOTED
THAT THE TRIBE COULD STILL
PURSUE GAMING AT STRAWBERRY
FIELDS THROUGH A TWO PART
DETERMINATION. AS IT STANDS,
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER INTERIOR
WILL TREAT THE TRIBE'S REQUEST
FOR STRAWBERRY FIELDS TO BE
TAKEN INTO TRUST AS RESTORED
LANDS OR THROUGH THE TWO PART
DETERMINATION PROCESS. THIS IS
REFLECTED IN THE COMPACT, WHICH
DOES NOT SUPPORT ONE APPROACH OR
THE OTHER. INSTEAD THE COMPACT
WOULD ALLOW THE TRIBE TO GAIN AT
STRAWBERRY FIELDS. ONLY AFTER
THE LAND IS TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR
GAMING, AND ONLY IF IT IS CLOSED
ITS WIND RIVER CASINO. IF THE
LAND IS TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR
GAMING THROUGH THE RESTORED
LANDS EXCEPTION, THEN THE
DECISION IS SOLELY IN THE
DISCRETION OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR. IF IT IS THROUGH
THE TWO PART DETERMINATION
PROCESS. THEN THE GOVERNOR
RETAINS FULL DISCRETION WHETHER
TO CONCUR OR NOT, WITH INTERIORS
DECISION. IN THAT CASE, THE
GOVERNOR WOULD SEEK TO ENSURE
THAT HIS DECISION WHETHER TO
CONCUR OR NOT, WOULD BE FULLY
INFORMED AND ACCOUNT FOR THE
VIEWS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
TRIBAL OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC.
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER COMPACTS.
REDDING RANCHERIA IS COMPACT
INCLUDES STANDARD CONTROLS FOR
FAIR PLAY HONESTY AND THE
INTEGRITY OF GAMING OPERATIONS.
THESE INCLUDE FACILITY AND
EMPLOYEE LICENSING, GAMING
DEVICE TESTING AND INSPECTIONS
AND TRIBAL GAMING REGULATIONS
WITH INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS.
THE TRIBE AGREED TO COMPLY WITH
STATE ALCOHOL LAW AND WILL
PROHIBIT MINORS UNDER 21 FROM
GAMING OR BEING IN AREAS WHERE
ALCOHOL MAY BE CONSUMED. THE
TRIBE ALSO COMMITTED TO
PROVIDING A NON SMOKING AREA AND
STATE OF THE ART VENTILATION.
THE COMPACT INCLUDES STANDARDS.
FOR PATRON DISPUTES TOWARDS AND
EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION
COMPARABLE TO OTHER RECENTLY
RATIFIED COMPACTS. THE TRIBAL
INSURER EMPLOYMENT
DISCRIMINATION STANDARDS EXTEND
TO ALL CLASSES PROTECTED IN
CALIFORNIA AND MAINTAIN THE
GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
POLICY OF AT LEAST $10 MILLION
TO ADDRESS TORQUE CLAIMS OF
PATRONS AND OTHERS LAWFULLY ON
THE GAMING FACILITY PREMISES.
ADDITIONALLY THE TRIBE COMMITS
TO ENSURING MINIMUM WAGE RATES
AT LEAST AS STRINGENT AS
CALIFORNIA'S AND TO MAINTAINING
AND COMPLYING WITH THE TRIBAL
LABOR RELATIONS ORDINANCE, OR T.
L R O THE T L R O FUNCTIONS AS
THE MECHANISM FOR A BILATERAL
CONTRACT BETWEEN THE TRIBE AND A
LABOR ORGANIZATION WITH
CORRESPONDING COMMITMENTS BY
EACH THE T L R O ESTABLISHES A
BINDING ARBITRATION PROCESS TO
ADDRESS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING,
ANOTHER LABOR DISPUTES FINALLY,
THE COMPACT ENCOURAGES GOOD
FAITH NEGOTIATIONS TO RESOLVE
DISAGREEMENTS THROUGH AN
INFORMAL MEETING CONFERRED
DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS. IF
THAT PROVES UNSUCCESSFUL, EITHER
PARTY MAY SEEK RESOLUTION IN
COURT. IN CONCLUSION. THE
COMPACT NEGOTIATED BY THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE TRIBE
WILL BRING IT INTO CONTENTIOUS
LITIGATION. ENSURE THE TRIBE AND
ITS MEMBERS OF THE PRIMARY
BENEFICIARIES OF ITS GAMING.
HELP PROTECT PATRONS AND
EMPLOYEES AT THE CASINO AND
MITIGATE IMPACTS TO LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. I'LL BE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS MEMBERS MAY
HAVE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS
FROM THE MEMBERS HERE TODAY HAVE
A QUESTION. YES, MR LUCKY. YEAH
IF YOU COULD JUST HELP US
UNDERSTAND THE INCLUSION OF THE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS IN THIS
COMPACT AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT?
CAN YOU CONTEXTUALIZE THE
DECISION WITH THE LAND AND TRUST
ISSUE. AND WHY SOME STAKEHOLDERS
CONSIDER THIS TO BE PREMATURE.
I'LL LET THE STAKEHOLDERS GIVE
THEIR VIEWS ON THAT. I'LL
EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND TO THE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS. SO STRAWBERRY
FIELDS IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY
THAT THE TRIBE CURRENTLY OWNS
AND HAS HAD A PENDING LAND INTO
TRUST APPLICATION. THE TRIBE AND
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
NEGOTIATED. TO INCLUDE AS A
POTENTIAL OPTION GAMING ON
STRAWBERRY FIELDS. IF THAT LAND
IS TAKEN INTO TRUST, AS I
MENTIONED, THERE'S TWO POTENTIAL
ROUTES THAT SEEM LIKELY HERE,
EITHER RESTORED LANDS EXCEPTION
OR A TWO PART DETERMINATION
PROCESS. INTERIOR WILL BE THE
ONE THAT WOULD DECIDE WHICH
PROCESS IT GOES THROUGH WHETHER
IT'S RESTORED LANDS OR A TWO
PART DETERMINATION PROCESS. IF
IT'S RESTORED LANDS, THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS NO ROLE.
IF IT'S A TWO PART DETERMINATION
PROCESS THAN THE GOVERNOR UNDER
THE COMPACT MAKES NO COMMITMENT
TO ANY DECISION MAINTAINS FULL
DISCRETION TO EVALUATE AND
DECIDE WHETHER TO CONCUR OR NOT
. IN THE SECRETARY'S DECISION ON
THAT ISSUE, SO FROM THE STATE'S
PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO
DO IS ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY
THAT THERE IS A PENDING LAND
INTO TRUST. APPLICATION FOR
STRAWBERRY FIELDS AND WOULD
ALLOW THAT THE TRIBE TO GAME ON
THAT PARCEL IF IT IS ULTIMATELY
TAKEN INTO TRUST, BUT AT THE
SAME TIME NOT TAKING A POSITION
ON WHICH ROUTE IT SHOULD GO OR
MAKING ANY COMMITMENT AS FAR AS
THE GOVERNOR'S DISCRETION TO
ADDRESS A TWO PART SHOULD THAT
COME TO HIM? THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? I'M NOT SEEING ANY SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. AND
THEN I'LL BE CALLING UP CHAIRMAN
POTTER, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JACK
POTTER JR. I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE SOVEREIGN NATION READING
AROUND TREA OF WHEN TO INDIANS.
I WAS SITTING HERE AND A MEMORY
CAME TO MY MIND. IT'S VERY
FITTING THAT WERE HERE BEFORE
YOU TODAY. WHAT COMPACT TALKS.
100 AND 72 YEARS AGO. ON THIS
VERY DAY. MY PEOPLE. SIGNED
TREATY H. 172 YEARS AGO ON
AUGUST 16TH. I AM A DIRECT
DESCENDANT. OF ONE OF THOSE
TREATY SIGNERS. AND THROUGH THAT
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE HAD TO PROVE FOR THIS LAND
THAT WE WERE DESCENDANTS OF THE
HISTORICAL. PEOPLE IN ORDER TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT
ACQUISITION, AND SO I WAS
SITTING THERE LIKE, WHY IS THIS
DATE IMPORTANT IN MY MIND, BUT
IT WAS USUALLY BACK HOME. ARE
SOUTH, ALONG WITH THE WIND TO
TRIBE AND THE OTHER 12 GROUPS.
WE WOULD BE MARCHING ACROSS
SUNDIAL BRIDGE, REENACTING THAT
TREATY SIGNING AND GOING ACROSS
TO THE PROMISED LAND AFTER WE
GOT A SLICE OF WATERMELON FROM
THE NON NATIVE ROLE PLAYERS THAT
WOULD BE STANDING IN AS THOSE
TREATY NEGOTIATORS. SO I'M HERE
TODAY. INSTEAD OF BEING THEY'RE
REENACTING, BUT. KIND OF FITTING
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A
MODERN DAY TREATY. BUT GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS
OF THIS ESTEEMED COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS JACK POTTER JR. AND I AM
THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE READING
RANCHERIA TRIBAL COUNCIL. THANK
YOU FOR SCHEDULING THIS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING UNDER
TRIBAL STATE GAMING COMPACT
BETWEEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND THE READING RANCHERIA. I
APPEAR HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT
MY TRIBAL COUNCIL AND MY PEOPLE.
THE READING ROOM ENTRY IS MADE
UP OF THE NINE BANDS OF WIND TO
PEOPLE EMPTY PALM L PALM. DON
NAM, THE PALM. WHEN I'M I'M NUMB
SUE, WHILE MARK TO PALM. AND L
PALM. 23 YEARS AGO, THE READING
ROUNDTREE AND THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA CAME TO A HISTORIC
COMPACT AGREEMENT THAT CREATED A
SHARED REGULATORY SCHEME FOR
GAMING WITHIN OUR HISTORIC
LANDS. THAT COMPACT AGREEMENT
HAS PROVIDED MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL. FOR OUR TRIBE AND
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IT HAS
ALLOWED THE REDDING RANCHERIA
PEOPLE AND OUR SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES TO GROW, THRIVE AND
PROSPER. AS THAT HISTORIC
COMPACT AGREEMENT REACHES ITS
EXPIRATION. I STAND BEFORE YOU
TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU RENEW YOUR
TRUST IN OUR TRIBE AND THE
PROMISE THAT INDIAN GAMING
OFFERS MY PEOPLE AND ALL
CALIFORNIANS WHO EARN A LIVABLE
WAGE AT OUR GAMING ENTERPRISE.
WHEN RIVER CASINO HAS BEEN IN
OPERATION SINCE 1993 AT ITS
INCEPTION. OUR TRIBE COMMITTED
TO USING GAMING REVENUES TO
PROVIDE ESSENTIAL GOVERNMENTAL
SERVICES TO OUR PEOPLE AND
PROSPERITY TO OUR ENTIRE
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE DONE JUST
THAT FROM 2019 THROUGH 2021. THE
REDDING RANCHERIA IS GAMING
OPERATION. AS INJECTED $349
MILLION INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
BECAUSE OF OUR SHARED SUCCESS,
THE READY NATURAL HAS BEEN ABLE
TO OPEN MULTIPLE HEALTH
FACILITIES TO SERVE ALL NATIVE
AMERICANS IN OUR AREA. AS WELL
AS UNDER OTHER UNDERSERVED NON
NATIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY
. WE RECENTLY PROVIDED GRANTS TO
OVER 50 LOCAL NON INDIAN OWNED
BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM RECOVER
FROM THE PANDEMIC GAMING HAS
ALLOWED US CANNOT ONLY PROVIDE
HIGHER EDUCATION TO OUR MEMBERS
BUT ALSO FUNDED A SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM OPEN TO ALL NATIVE
AMERICANS. WITHIN OUR SERVICE
AREA. DAMIEN HAS ALSO ALLOWED US
TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO OUR LOCAL
PRIMARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS
THROUGH THE GAMING PERMITTED
UNDER THE HISTORIC COMPACT
AGREEMENT. IT IS SAFE TO SAY
THAT OUR TRIBE HAS IMPROVED THE
LIVES OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
CALIFORNIANS. WE HAVE OPERATED
FOR 23 YEARS. ALWAYS PAYING
WAGES ABOVE INDUSTRY STANDARDS
AND OFFERING A GENEROUS BENEFIT
PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES HEALTH
INSURANCE. SO ONE K BENEFITS
SICK AND VACATION LEAVE AS WELL
AS MANY PAID HOLIDAYS IN 23
YEARS. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A LABOR
ISSUE, AND SO WE READILY EMBRACE
INCLUDING THE TRIBAL LABOR
RELATION ORDINANCE WITHIN THE
NEW COMPACT AND WELCOME UNITE
HERE TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE
WITH US FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR
MOST VALUED ASSET. OUR
EMPLOYEES. THE AREA AREA
PRESENTLY KNOWN AS SHASTA COUNTY
HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR HOME SINCE
TIMING MORIAL WE ARE THE
STEWARDS OF OUR LAND. OUR WHEN
OUR WINTER ANCESTORS LIVED.
HUNTED AND FISHED ON THE VERY
LAND UPON WHICH WE INTEND TO
GAIN KNOWN AS THE STRAWBERRY
FIELDS. JUST AS THAT LAND
PROVIDED THE MEANS OF SURVIVAL
FOR OUR ANCESTORS. WITH THIS NEW
COMPACT, IT WILL PROVIDE A MEANS
OF SURVIVAL FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS OF OUR PEOPLE, JUST
AS OUR ANCESTORS INVITED
NEIGHBORING TRIBES AND SETTLERS
TO SHARE IN THE BOUNTY OF THE
LAND. WE TOO SHOCKED, MAKE SURE
OUR COMMUNITY IS INCLUDED IN
THIS SUCCESS IS THIS LAND WILL
BRING. THIS IS WHY CHESTER
COUNTY EXPRESSLY SUPPORTS OUR
PLANS TO RELOCATE OUR GAMING
FACILITY TO THE STRAWBERRY
FIELDS. WE RECENTLY AGREED TO
TERMS WITH CHESTER COUNTY ON A
30 YEAR LOCAL AGREEMENT. TO
ADDRESS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE
SERVICES. ARE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
THE STEWARDS OF THIS LAND IN OUR
TRIBE TAKES THAT ROLE SERIOUSLY
. THE REDDING RANCHERIA CULTURAL
DEPARTMENT IS THE BEST AND
CARRIES OUT ITS DUTIES TO
PROTECT NATIVE CULTURAL
RESOURCES WITH ON MATCHED
KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND
PROFESSIONALISM. ANY CULTURAL
RESOURCES ARE FOUND. DURING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR LANDS. WE
WILL PROTECT THEM IN THE WAY OF
OUR PEOPLE AND IN THE MANNER
THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE, AND OF
COURSE, IN COMPLIANCE WITH
APPLICABLE FEDERAL LÀ. LET US
CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER AS
PARTNERS, FRIENDS AND SOVEREIGNS
. I ASKED THAT YOU SUPPORT A B
854 AND THE RATIFICATION OF THE
COMPACT NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE
READING ENTRY AND THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE. BEFORE I GOT HERE TODAY
. I WENT TO A VERY SACRED PLACE.
THAT I HAVE TIES TO. I FASTED
AND I PRAYED BECAUSE COMING TO
THESE HEARINGS HAS AFFECTED ME
SPIRITUALLY. AND I WENT BACK TO
A MASSACRE SITE WHERE I'M, A
DIRECTOR DESCENDANT. A NATURAL
BRIDGE OVER AND NO REAL MCCOY
WHEN TWO COUNTRIES AND I
CONNECTED WITH THE SPIRITS OF
ALL OF MY PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT
ABLE TO SIT HERE IN THIS MODERN
ATMOSPHERE. AND SPEAK. OF WHAT
HAS HAPPENED TO THEM, AND I
CONNECTED. WITH MY GREAT GREAT
GREAT GRANDMOTHER, MARY CROCKETT
SPIRIT. SHE WAS ONE OF A COUPLE
OF BABIES. THAT SURVIVED AND
THERE WAS SOME OCCASION, PEOPLE
THAT CAME ALONG AFTER THE
MASSACRE AND SEEING ALL THE
SMOKE FROM THE GUNFIRE BILLOWING
UP. UNDER THIS PLACE IF YOU'VE
NEVER BEEN THERE. VERY SACRED.
YOU FEEL IT? WHAT HAPPENED
THERE? ENDED HURT, BUT I HAD TO
GO GET HER STRENGTH. AND BE ABLE
TO TALK. ABOUT THE THINGS THAT
PEOPLE ARE SAYING. AT MY TRIBE
IS GOING TO BE DOING VARYING ON
BURIAL GROUNDS. BUILDING ON A
MASSACRE SITE AND STUFF. I KNOW
WHERE THE MASSACRES HAPPENED IN
MY LAND. ASK US CHAIRMAN RICKARD
HE USED TO COME TO MY
GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE. AND TALK
WITH HER. BECAUSE THEY WERE THE
ELDERS. BUT WHEN I RECONNECTED
WITH MY GREAT GREAT
GRANDMOTHER'S SPIRIT ABOUT THAT
PLACE I HEARD THIS MESSAGE THAT
I HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE. THAT I
MUST REPRESENT MY PEOPLE AND
MOVE FORWARD. TIMES ARE
DIFFERENT NOW, BUT TO KNOW THAT
I'M A DESCENDANT. OF THAT LITTLE
GURGLING BABY AND HAD THOSE
PEOPLE NOT ROLLED. HER MOTHER
OVER AND FOUNDER STILL NURSING
ON HER. I WOULD NOT BE HERE. I
WOULD NOT BE HERE TO TALK. I
WOULD NOT BE HERE TO SPEAK FOR
MY PEOPLE. WHO KNEW BACK THEN
THAT OUR WORLD WOULD CHANGE SO
DRASTICALLY. AND IT HURTS TO
HEAR OTHER TRIBES TALK AND SAY
THINGS. THAT WE ARE GOING TO
DISRESPECT IN THIS HONOR. OUR
ANCESTORS. I WILL DIE ONE DAY. I
DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TODAY OR
TOMORROW OR IN THE FUTURE. BUT I
WANT TO BE ACCEPTED. IN THE LAND
OF MY ANCESTORS, AND I MUST
HONOR THAT AND REPRESENT MY
PEOPLE. THE BEST WAY I CAN, AND
I WILL NEVER BUILD ON A MASSACRE
SITE. SO I THANK YOU. HELLO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME TO TALK WITH YOU
BRIEFLY TODAY. I'M MIRANDA
EDWARDS. I'M A TRIBAL COUNCIL
MEMBER FOR THE REDDING
RANCHERIA. UM I'M HERE TODAY AS
A PRODUCT OF THE 1999 COMPACT
WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. MY
TRIBE'S GAMING HAS GIVEN ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GRADUATE FROM
STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND LATER
OBTAINED MY MASTER'S DEGREE AND
WRITE MY THESIS ABOUT COLONIAL
GENDER ROLES AND THE IMPACT ON
VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS
WOMEN IN THE US COUNTLESS OTHER
TRIBAL MEMBERS FROM MY
GENERATION HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER THEIR
EDUCATION AND PROVIDE BETTER
LIVES FOR THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE
OF OUR TRIBES COMPACT MY GREAT
GRANDMOTHER WORKED ALONGSIDE
OTHER TRIBAL ELDERS ON THE 1999
COMPACT TO PROVIDE A BETTER LIFE
FOR THE NEXT THREE GENERATIONS
TO FOLLOW THEM. I'M HUMBLED TO
PLAY EVEN A SMALL PART AMONGST
MANY PEOPLE IN MY TRIBE WORKING
TO PROVIDE FOR MY GREAT
GRANDCHILDREN AND THE
GENERATIONS TO COME SO THAT THEY
MAY KEEP OUR CULTURE AND OUR
HISTORY ALIVE. IN ADDITION, THIS
COMPACT DOES NOT JUST BENEFIT
OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS AFTER HAVING
A COMPACT WITH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA FOR OVER 20 YEARS,
WE'VE PROVEN THAT WE ARE MORE
THAN GOOD NEIGHBORS. WE
PRIORITIZE INVESTING IN THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY THAT IS
SHASTA COUNTY THAT IS HOME TO
OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS AND
EMPLOYEES. WE WORK HARD EVERY
DAY TO PROVIDE FOR THIS RURAL
COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT THE BEST
THAT WE CAN FOR EVERYONE THAT
LIVES THERE. IT'S DISHEARTENING
TO HEAR FROM THOSE THAT CHOOSE
NOT TO SEE THAT BUT IT WILL NOT
STOP OUR WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION
TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR PRESENTATIONS. UM WE NOW GO
TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS IF THERE'S
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YES,
PLEASE, MR PATTERSON. QUICK. UH,
UM, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH
WIND RIVER. UM. RECENTLY, MY
DAUGHTER SON IN LAW AND OUR TWO
GRANDCHILDREN RELOCATED FROM
FRESNO COOS BAY, WHERE. MY SON
IN LAW IS NOW ONE OF THE
EXECUTIVE CHEFS AT THE ABANDON.
AH! GOLF. LOCATION WE HAD A
CHANCE TO GO UP THERE AND VISIT
WITH THEM. COMING BACK. WE
DECIDED THAT WE WOULD CUT THAT
JOURNEY BETWEEN COOS BAY AND
FRESNO IN HALF. WE DID IT AT
READING AND WE STAYED AT WIND
RIVER. WE HAD A VERY SPECIAL
TIME IT WAS ENJOYABLE TO LEARN
SOME OF THE HISTORY AND THAT
THAT IS THERE. BUT ALSO WE WERE
TREATED WONDERFULLY. WE HAD
WONDERFUL FOOD AND SHARING, AND
I HAD A REMARKABLE RECOLLECTION
OF WIND RIVER. AND SO I JUST
WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT
THIS. ONE PASSING BY, UH. COUPLE
UM, SEEKING A PLACE HALFWAY
BETWEEN TUESDAY AND FRESNO
FOUNDER. SPECIAL PLACE FOR US,
AND WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR IT. AND
I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA BE BACK
BECAUSE WE INTEND TO VISIT OUR
GRAND BABIES AGAIN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I WILL RELAY THAT TO
OUR EMPLOYEES. IT IS OUR
EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE A SHINE.
IT'S NOT TRIBAL COUNCIL OR
MYSELF. IT IS THE EMPLOYEES.
THEY ARE THE HEART OF OUR TRIBE
. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL
. YOU KNOW THIS AND YOU JUST
MENTIONED IT. BUT THAT WAS PART
OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAD
THERE. AND IT WAS AS IF EVERYONE
WANTED TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY.
TO BE KIND AND TO HELP US OUT
AND ALL OF THAT. UH I KNOW THAT
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TO
MEMORIALIZE AND. MEMORANDUM TO
STAFF AND ALL OF THAT, AND
SOMETIMES THAT FEELS LIKE IT'S
BEING DONE BECAUSE THEY'RE
COMMANDED TO WE HAD A SENSE THAT
THEY WERE DOING IT BECAUSE THEY
WANTED TO PASS THAT ALONG TO
THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF ANY
COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? YES. MISS
DOLLY! THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND
I THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN POTTER FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. UM, AND TO, UM
EVERYONE HERE FROM SHASTA COUNTY
. UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM,
I DO VALUE THE RANCHERIA AND, UM
THE GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT THAT
YOU PROVIDE TO THE GROUPS AND
INDIVIDUALS IN SHASTA COUNTY AND
THEN THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES
AS WELL AS YOU MENTIONED MEDICAL
CLINICS, WHICH IS VERY VITAL FOR
OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES. AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS. UM AS YOU PURSUE
THE AS WE KNOW. TODAY, THERE'S
NO VOTE. THIS IS JUST FOR AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING, AND, UM,
I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
HAS DONE A GOOD JOB TODAY OF
SHOWING US THE TWO OPTIONS THAT
MAY OR MAY NOT, THERE'S STILL
SOME THINGS TO BE CLARIFIED AS
WE MOVE FORWARD, AND I THINK
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MY
CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE REACHED
OUT I'VE RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, AS
YOU CAN IMAGINE. THOUSANDS OF
EMAILS AND SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION
AND SO IN MY POSITION TO BE ABLE
TO BALANCE UM, HEARING FROM MY
CONSTITUENTS, BUT THIS MY ROLE
HERE TODAY IS FOR INFORMATIONAL
AND NOT AS A VOTE, SO I JUST
WANT TO BE CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS A
LITTLE CONFUSION AROUND THAT, UM
SO I JUST MY QUESTION TO YOU. AS
YOU MOVE FORWARD FOR THE START
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE STRAWBERRY
FIELDS AND WHAT'S THE RANCH?
RIA'S PLANS TO WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY TO
MITIGATE THOSE THOSE STILL IN
OPPOSITION, UM DO YOU HAVE PLANS
SPECIFIC? YES, WE'RE, UH. HMM
WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING WORKSHOPS
AND DIFFERENT THINGS. AND EVEN
WITH HER NEIGHBORING TRIBES, UH
THE NON RECOGNIZED WHEN TWO
TRIBE THEIR ELDER COUNCIL HAS
ALWAYS APPROACHED US AND ASKED
FOR LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THEIR
FEDERAL RECOGNITION. THEY ARE
PEOPLE. WE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE.
AND YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS DONE WHAT THEY
HAVE DONE ACKNOWLEDGE SOME AND
NOT RECOGNIZE THEM AND THEY'RE
GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT
OUR TRIBE HAS ALWAYS DONE
RESOLUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR
FEDERAL RECOGNITION, AND I HAVE
A MEETING COMING UP WITH THEIR
ELDER COUNCIL TO TRY TO WORK
THROUGH, YOU KNOW. THERE. UM.
DISAGREEMENTS YOU KNOW, WE
PROVIDE BURIAL SERVICES AND ALL
THOSE THINGS WE BUDGET BECAUSE
THEY DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY
OF GETTING THAT FEDERAL FUNDING
. AND SO WE, AS THE TRIBE STILL
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE
SERVICES BECAUSE THEY ARE
PEOPLE. WE SHARE ANCESTORS IN
COMMON AND STUFF. AND AS FOR OUR
SISTER TRIBE, DOWN THE ROAD AND
A COUPLE OF WEEKS ABOUT TWO
WEEKS FROM NOW, I BELIEVE IS
THAT CORRECT? CHAIRMAN ALEJANDRA
THAT WE HAVE A MEETING COMING
UP. WE'VE REACHED OUT BECAUSE. I
DON'T LIKE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH
MY PEOPLE. THERE'S A HANDFUL OF
A SLEPT. WE'VE ALL ARE
DESCENDANTS OF THE GENOCIDE. WE
ARE ALL DESCENDANTS OF THE
MASSACRES AND THINGS AND SOME
TRIBES HAD FIVE PEOPLE LEFT AND
THEY WE'RE ALL SLOWLY REBUILDING
OUR NATIONS. SOME ARE AHEAD.
SOME ARE A LITTLE BEHIND WHEN
THE WINTER TRIBE GETS THEIR
FEDERAL RECOGNITION, THEY WILL
BE REBUILDING THEIR NATION. AND
I KNOW MY PEOPLE WILL GIVE
ADVICE. WE'VE DONE IT WHEN WE
GOT RESTORED. WE'VE REACHED OUT
TO THE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
TRIBES AROUND US. AND HOW DO YOU
FORM A CONSTITUTION? HOW DO YOU
DO THIS? WHAT DO YOU GOT TO DO?
AND YOU KNOW, GOT THE INS AND
OUTS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE
LEADERS IN OUR AREA AND DO THAT.
AND SO WE WON'T LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO
TRY TO ADDRESS EVERYONE'S
CONCERNS. WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT
WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE
ORIGINALLY THE COUNTY DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND THE PROJECT AS WELL.
AND WE MET WITH THEM AND
CONTINUE TO MEET AND DR SUPPORT
AND THEY FINALLY YOU KNOW,
SIGNED UP, AND SO WE WILL DO
THAT WITH THE PEOPLE WITH THE
NATIVES AND NON NATIVES. BECAUSE
I WAS RAISED A WILL A LITTLE
BIT. HE IS OUR CREATOR. THAT'S
THE NAME IN THAT AREA AND WHEN
TO LANGUAGE AND HE PASSED DOWN
ROLES THAT SAID, YOU HAVE TO
PROVIDE. YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE
OF. YOU KNOW THESE THINGS AND
JUST BECAUSE THINGS HAVE
CHANGED. AND IT'S JUST NOT WIND
TWOS. PEOPLE IN THAT AREA
ANYMORE. ALL THE PEOPLE ARE
WINTER IN MY EYES. THAT'S WHY WE
GIVE AND PROVIDE THESE THINGS
BECAUSE IT'S OUR ROLE. WHEN I
PASSED AWAY. I WANT TO BE
ACCEPTED ON THAT SIDE. I TRULY
DO. I MISS MY PEOPLE. AND, UH,
WE WILL DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO
GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S UNIQUE
ABOUT NATIVE PEOPLE. WE'RE ABLE
TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE OPEN
ARMS WITH EVERYBODY. EVEN THOUGH
WE HAVE THAT PASSED, BUT WE
CAN'T LIVE IN THE PAST. BECAUSE
IF WE DO, IT WILL DARKEN OUR
SPIRIT. AND WE CAN'T GO THROUGH
LIFE WITH OUR EXPERIENCE. WE
HAVE TO BE BRIGHTER AND LIVE A
BETTER LIFE AND MAKE THE NEXT
GENERATION AND NOT JUST OUR NEXT
GENERATION. BUT EVERYBODY'S
GENERATION. WE KNOW WE'VE GOT TO
MAKE READING BETTER. WE'VE GOT
TO MAKE SHASTA COUNTY BETTER. I
HAVE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. WHEN
YOU COULD LEAVE YOUR DOOR
UNLOCKED AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT
NO MORE, BUT WE'LL GET IT BACK
TO WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE. WELL
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND
AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. ARE
THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY
I DON'T SEE ANY. SO I'M GONNA
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATIONS. UM I'M GONNA GO
AHEAD. AS I STATED EARLIER. GO
TO, UM PUBLIC COMMENT AND IF
THERE ARE ANY CHAIR, WOMEN OR
CHAIRMAN WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF
THE COMPACTS. THERE'S A
MICROPHONE, RIGHT? RIGHT ON MY
ON MY LEFT HAND SIDE YOUR RIGHT
HAND SIDE. AS I STATED BEFORE
WHOLE LOT TWO MINUTES, IF
NEEDED. AND PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF. UM. GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIRMAN SANTIAGO MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M SARAH DUTSCHKE.
I'M THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE IOC
BANNED AND MIWOK INDIANS LOCATED
JUST ABOUT 35. MILES FROM WHERE
WHERE WE'RE SITTING TODAY. THANK
YOU FOR THIS HEARING. I'M JUST
GOING TO KEEP IT VERY BRIEF ON
BEHALF OF THE I OWN BAND AND, UH
, CALIFORNIA TRAVEL BUSINESS
ALLIANCE. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS
SUPPORT. FOR READY AND RANCHER
HAS COMPACT AND URGE ALL OF YOU
TO SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION.
RATIFYING THAT COMPACT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. UM, AS I STATED
EARLIER. MANY. CHAIR WOMEN OR
MEN WHO ARE IN OPPOSITION. I
JUST DIRECT THEM TO THE SAME
MICROPHONE. IF THAT'S OKAY WITH
YOU. SUPPORT I APOLOGIZE. HOW
ABOUT I DO THIS? I GIVE IT A
LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR SUPPORT
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO RUN OVER
THIS LITTLE QUICKER AND, UM,
SKIP THE PEOPLE. MY NAME IS
ANTONIO DEL RIO. I AM
REPRESENTING THE TRIBAL COUNCIL
FROM CALIFORNIA VALLEY. ME WALK
TRIBE. WE DO SUPPORT CHAIRMAN
POTTER AND THE REDDING RANCHERIA
COMPACT. UM AS STATED EVERYTHING
THAT HE'S DONE. HE ALSO HELPS
HIS FAMILY OVER THE RIVER AND
CALIBERS COUNTIES WITH NUMEROUS
ADVICE. UM AND IT IS NOT JUST
THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. FOR
HIM. IT'S LIKE, HE SAID. ALL OF
US. WE ARE ALL TOGETHER ON THIS.
SO I AM IN SUPPORT. AND SO IS MY
TRIBE. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE
THAT. UM AND THEN WE'LL HAVE,
UH, AMPLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR
SUPPORTING OPPOSITION, BUT I
WANTED TO BE COURTEOUS TO ANY
CHAIR, WOMEN OR MEN WHO ARE HERE
TODAY. SO IF THERE'S ANY, UM IN
OPPOSITION IF YOU COULD COME UP
TO THE MICROPHONE. I RAN THROUGH
A LITTLE BIT QUICKLY LAST TIME,
SO I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT
AGAIN. UM ANY CHAIR, WOMEN OR
MEN. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS GONNA
BE SOME SO I'M GONNA HOLD OFF
UNTIL OKAY. THERE YOU GO. AND
THEN I SAID IT EARLIER, SO THE
TWO MINUTES IS PROBABLY WERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
ANDREW. ALEJANDRA. I'M THE
TRAVEL CHAIRMAN OF THE PAST
CONTRABAND OF NO MALAKI INDIANS.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF MY
PEOPLE, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF
OF ALL THE ANCESTORS THAT THAT
LAY IN STRAWBERRY FIELDS. THE
LAND. WE KNOW AS STRAWBERRY
FIELDS IS THE HOME TO MANY
TRIBES, INCLUDING THE NORMAL AKI
PEOPLE, A PLACE OF GATHERING
FISHING, TRADE AND CEREMONY ONCE
HOME TO SIX VILLAGE SITES THAT
LOCATED CLOSELY TOGETHER ALONG
THE RIVERSIDE VILLAGE SITES THAT
HAVE BEEN MAPPED OUT BY WIND TO
ELDERS IN THE 18 FORTIES. AND
WELL DOCUMENTED WHEN IT CAME
WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOCATION.
WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF THIS
PROJECT MOVES FORWARD IT WILL
DISTURBED VILLAGE SITES EVERY
SPRING FOR DECADES. OUR PEOPLE
HOLD CEREMONIES. AND IT WAS
RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME ON APRIL
OF 18 46 JOHN C. FREMONT DURING
HIS EXPEDITION TO EXPLORE TRADE
ROUTES FROM SACRAMENTO TO OREGON
, WAS ALERTED BY SETTLERS IN THE
NOW KNOWN AS READING AREA THAT
MORE THAN 1000 INDIANS WERE
PREPARING FOR WAR. BUT WHAT HE
REALLY SAW WAS US PREPARING FOR
CEREMONY, FREMONT PROCEEDED
NORTH WITH THE MILITIA OF 50 TO
70 ARMED MEN ON HORSEBACK AFTER
ABOUT FOUR DAYS OF TRAVEL, HIS
MEN FOUND THIS LARGE GATHERING
PLACE. WHERE ARE PEOPLE WERE
FISHING AND IN CEREMONY AND
PROCEEDED TO MURDER
APPROXIMATELY 1000 PLUS MEN,
WOMEN, CHILDREN, ELDERS. IN ONE
OF THE LARGEST MASSACRES. OF
NATIVE PEOPLE IN U. S HISTORY.
THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE BEFORE THE
GOLD RUSH BEFORE CALIFORNIA WAS
A STATE OR EVEN A U. S TERRITORY
SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY SOME
WOULD GET CONFUSED ON WHERE AND
WHEN THIS BATTLE TOOK PLACE, BUT
ONCE THE SACRAMENTO RIVER
MASSACRE OCCURRED THAT TRIGGERED
DECADES OF STATE SPONSORED
VIOLENCE AGAINST NATIVE PEOPLE
ALL OVER THE STATE. THIS EVENT
STARTED AN ERA OF GENOCIDE,
CREATING COUNTLESS STORIES OF
WHAT HAPPENED TO CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE. THERE IS A SITE
ADJACENT TO THE SOUTH. OF THE
PROPOSED CASINO DEVELOPMENT THAT
HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY
ARCHAEOLOGISTS. THE HERITAGE
COMMISSION. BLM THE LOCAL TRIBAL
MONITORS. THIS HAS BEEN
IDENTIFIED AS MASS BURIAL OF
OVER 100 PEOPLE FROM WHAT WAS
MOST LIKELY A SINGLE KILLING
EVENT. THIS SITE DATES TO THE 18
FORTIES AND SHOWS A MORTALITY
RATE OF SIX TIMES HIGHER THAN
ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE REGION.
THESE REMAINS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF
EXTREME VIOLENCE, SUCH AS BLUNT
FORCE TRAUMA TO THE SKULLS, AND
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. IF
STRAWBERRY FIELDS WERE TO BE
DEVELOPED, WE WILL ENCOUNTER
THESE BURIALS OVER AND OVER AND
OVER AGAIN. WITH THIS UNDISPUTED
WITH THESE UNDISPUTED FACTS. WE
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FILING.
FOR BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL
FEDERAL REGISTRATION FOR
STRAWBERRY FIELDS TO BE A
REGISTERED SACRED SITE WITH THE
HERITAGE COMMISSION. PASS CANNOT
FULLY SUPPORTS REDDING'S EFFORTS
TO RENEW THEIR COMPACT, BUT
THERE IS NO NEED TO INCLUDE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOR REDDING'S
GAMING ACTIVITIES TO BE EXTENDED
AT THEIR CURRENT PROPERTY. THERE
IS AN EASY LANGUAGE SOLUTION
THAT MANY OTHER COMPACTS HAVE
USED TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION
WITHOUT SPECIFYING SACRED LANDS
AS APPROVED FOR GAMING ACTIVITY.
WE HAVE KING. KENT SMITH HERE TO
PROVIDE DETAILS, BUT IT IS NOT
ENDORSING A CASINO TO BE BUILT
ON TOP OF MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN
AND ELDERS. THE SPIRIT OF THESE
ANCESTORS LET THEM REST. THANK
YOU. I'M GOING TO MAKE A QUICK
EXCEPTION TO WHAT I HAD SAID
EARLIER SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO
ONLY ALLOW, UM, CHAIR OF WOMEN
AND MEN ONLY BECAUSE YOU
REFERRED TO YOUR COLLEAGUE TO
COLLEAGUE OFFERED THIS
GENTLEMAN. I WILL ALLOW THAT
RIGHT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY
NAME IS KANE SMITH. I'M COUNSEL
FOR THE SCAN TO BAN MALAKI
INDIANS. AND I JUST WANNA HELP.
I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND AS UH,
CHAIRMAN, ALEJANDRA SAID.
THERE'S A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION
THAT CAN RESOLVE ALL THE
CONTROVERSY HERE. THIS COMPACT
NEED NOT AND SHOULD NOT
SPECIFICALLY REFERENCE THE
STRAWBERRY FIELD SITE. IT NEED
NOT BECAUSE THERE'S VERY SIMPLE
LANGUAGE IN THE MANY PRECEDENTS
OF PRIOR COMPACTS THAT WILL
ALLOW READY AND RAN CHERIE TO
PURSUE WHATEVER GAMING AT WHICH
IS TO PURSUE, BUT IT DOES NOT
HAVE TO SPECIFICALLY REFERENCE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS, AND THE
REASON IT SHOULD NOT IS BECAUSE
CURRENTLY AS WRITTEN SECTION 4.2
B OF THE PROPOSED COMPACT REALLY
CONDONES CLASS THREE GAMING AS
STRAWBERRY FIELDS IF YOU COUPLE
THAT WITH APPENDIX B, WHICH
EXPLICITLY STATES THAT
STRAWBERRY FIELDS IS GAMING
ELIGIBLE, YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY
SHORT CIRCUITED. BUT THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE APPROPRIATELY
DESCRIBED AS THIS TWO PART
DETERMINATION. THAT TWO PART
DETERMINATIONS OF FEDERAL
PROCESS IS CRITICAL. ESSENTIAL
ELEMENT OF THAT IS THAT THERE
HAS TO BE A FINDING OF NO
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. NOW BY
REFERENCING STRAWBERRY FIELDS IN
THIS COMPACT THERE'S A
PREJUDGMENT ESSENTIALLY TAKING
PLACE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
COMBINE IT WITH APPENDIX B.
PLEASE READ APPENDIX SPEAK
CAREFULLY AND FOUR POINT TO BE
TOGETHER. THEY SUGGEST THAT
STRAWBERRY FIELDS IS GAMING
ELIGIBLE, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT
STRAWBERRY FIELDS CAN BE GAMING
ELIGIBLE IS IF THE GOVERNOR
MAKES A DETERMINATION. THERE IS
NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE
YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY SHORT CIRCUIT
IN THAT PROCESS, BY IMPLICATION
, IF NOT EXPLICITLY BY THE TERMS
OF THIS COMPACT, AND THERE'S A
VERY, VERY SIMPLE AND FIRST OF
ALL, IT WOULD NOT BE PREJUDICIAL
TO READY AND RANCHERIA. AND
THERE'S ESTABLISHED PRECEDENT.
THEY, UM JUST AMEND, REMOVE AND
REPLACE THE LANGUAGE WITH A VERY
SIMPLE PROVISION, AND IT WOULD
BE AS FOLLOWS. SECTION 4.2 B
COULD SIMPLY READ. ONCE THE
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR TAKES
LANDED TO TRUST FOR THE TRIBE
FOR GAMING AND CLASS THREE
GAMING MAY LAWFULLY BE CONDUCTED
THERE ON THAT'S LANGUAGE. THAT'S
ACROSS NUMEROUS OF YOUR COMPACTS
. IT'S OPEN ENDED FOR REDDING
RANCHERIA TO PURSUE WHAT IT
WANTS, AND IT WILL NOT PREJUDGE
OR INTERFERE WITH A VERY
SPECIFIC FEDERAL PROCESS. THANK
YOU. SORRY MY MIC WAS OFF. THANK
YOU. UM NOW WE'RE I'M GONNA GO
AHEAD AND AS I SAID, TO GO TO
SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION, HOW
ABOUT WE GO TO LIKE I MENTIONED
EARLIER SUPPORT. 30 SECONDS A
MINUTE. IT'S UNUSUAL THAT I DO
THAT IN THIS. OH, YES, AND I
APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING
THE TIME TO LISTEN TO WHAT I
HAVE TO SAY. I THINK WHAT YOU
WILL HEAR WILL BE SOMETHING
THAT, UH YOU WILL WANT TO REALLY
CONSIDER AND AS JACK SAID, MR
POTTER CHAIRMAN POTTER. I'M
CHAIRMAN RICKARD. I GREW UP.
WITH HIS FAMILY. HIS GRANDMOTHER
AND MY DAD WERE BEST FRIENDS. I
SPENT MANY HOURS HIS
GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE. HIS FATHER.
OH, HE'S I GUESS YOU'RE JACK
JUNIOR AND THEN JACK REGULAR
JACK POTTER. HIS FATHER AND I
STARTED KINDERGARTEN TOGETHER
AND WENT ALL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
TOGETHER, AND WE WERE BEST
FRIENDS. I LOVE ALL OF THEM. I
LOVE SPENDING THE TIME. WITH HIS
GRANDMOTHER. MY NAME IS GARY
RICKARD. AND I AM THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE NORTHERN WIND TO TRIBE.
AND YOU'LL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME AT
TIMES. I'M PUSHING RIGHT UP TO
THE 80 YEAR OLD MARK. I AM. BAD
HEART, SUGAR, DIABETES, FAILING
KIDNEYS. AND SO. HOW MUCH LONGER
I WILL BE ABLE TO BRING
MESSAGES. Tð. BODIES LIKE THIS.
WHO KNOWS? AS JACK SAID, IT
COULD BE TOMORROW. AS CHAIRMAN
OF THE NINE BANDS OF THE
NORTHERN WIND, TOO. YEAH. THESE
BANDS MAKE UP THE HISTORIC AND
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE
NORTHERN TO HEMA CHASSIS, ESTÁN
TRENDY COUNTIES. OUR TRIBE HAS
546 CERTIFIED MEMBERS. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE NINE
BANDS ALL SPOKE THE SAME
LANGUAGE. WE ALL SPOKE RUSSIAN
LANGUAGE AND AS A EDUCATION
TRIBES ARE DESIGNATED BY THEIR
LANGUAGE. THE ONE THING ABOUT
THE WENT TO BANDS. IS THAT WE
HAD VERY, VERY DISTINCT
BOUNDARIES. IN FACT, I WANT TO
GIVE YOU A MAP. SO THAT YOU CAN
PASS IT ON TO THEM. SORRY, SIR.
CHAIRMAN, THE SERGEANTS WOULD
THANK YOU. OH, I ASSURE YOU, IT
DOESN'T HAVE ANY ANTHRAX OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND IT
THAT'S JUST A DESIGNATED PERSON
TO BE ABLE TO HAND OUT. YEAH. UM
. SO THE BANDS. WE'RE MUCH LIKE
COUNTIES ARE TODAY. WE HAD VERY
DISTINCT. BOUNDARIES OR THE
BANDS. THESE GUYS MAKE A LOT OF
NOISE FOR TRYING TO GET A 1.5%
RAISE. I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THE
NOISE. HMM. UM. SO THE LAND
IDENTIFIED IN WRITING RANCHER IS
. COMPACT KNOWN AS THE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS. WAS THE AND
IS THE ANCESTRAL TERRITORY. OF
THE DENON BAND OF WIND, TOO. YES
WE ALL SPOKE TO POLLUTION
LANGUAGE, BUT KEEP IN MIND. THAT
WE HAD OUR DISTINCT TERRITORIES.
NOW. HMM. SO. IF WE'RE GONNA SAY
THAT ALL WENT TO. HAVE A
HISTORIC RIGHT? TO THAT LAND.
THEN. CASINOS LIKE CACHE CREEK.
UM COLUSA. STONY FORD. THEY'RE
NGUYEN Tð. SO. IS THAT THEIR
ANCESTRAL TERRITORY? NO. IT'S
THE ANCESTRAL TERRITORY. OF THE
DINAMO BAND NGUYEN TWO'S NOT THE
NINE BANDS THAT DINAMO BAND
NGUYEN TWOS. HMM. AND HAS BEEN
MENTIONED BEFORE THERE WERE SIX
VILLAGES ALONG THERE. AH
SOMETHING SOMEWHERE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD OF 160 HOMES. 700
TO 900. PERMANENT RESIDENTS. AND
OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED ON APRIL 5TH WHEN.
COLONEL FREMONT CAME IN AND
ANNIHILATED MASSACRED THE WHOLE
VILLAGE. AREAS. I WANT YOU TO
TAKE A MOMENT. LISTEN TO ME.
HERE'S WHAT ONE MEMBER OF THE
ARMY LATER WROTE. THINK ABOUT
YOUR LIVING ALONG THE RIVER.
YOU'RE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE.
PLENTY OF DEER. LOTS OF SALMON.
SO MANY SALMON THAT WE INVITED
PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER TO COME.
OTHER BANDS, OTHER TRIBES TO
COME IN. REAP THE BOUNTY OF THE
SALMON IN THE RIVER. NOT A FOGGY
MORNING. THE MEN CHARGED INTO
THE VILLAGE, TAKING THE INDIANS
BY SURPRISE, AND THEN A SCENE OF
SLAUGHTER, WHICH WAS UNEQUALED
IN THE WEST. MEN WOMEN AND
CHILDREN WERE SHOT DOWN LIKE
SHEEP. THEY NEVER STOPPED UNTIL
EVERYONE WAS DONE AND WHEN THEY
RAN OUT OF BULLETS. THEY RUN
AROUND WITH THEIR RIFLE BUTTS,
SMASHING THE SKULLS OF THE
BABIES AND THE CHILDREN. HOW CAN
A HUMAN DO THAT? CAN YOU IMAGINE
THAT? CAN YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF
PICKING UP A RIFLE AND SMASHING
A BABY'S SKULLED IN. BUT THAT'S
WHAT HAPPENED MY DOWN ON PEOPLE
AND THE PEOPLES THAT WERE THERE
FISHING WITH THIS ON THAT
MORNING. IT'S IMPORTANT, I
THINK. THAT LEGISLATURES SUCH AS
YOURSELVES? AND EVEN THE
GOVERNOR. FIND OUT THE TRUTH.
THAT HAPPENED THERE. AND PEOPLE
DESERVE THAT. YOU TAKE THE TIME
TO STUDY THE MASSACRE AND LEARN
ABOUT THE STORY. UM. AND TRUE
PEOPLE THAT INHABITED THE
STRAWBERRY FIELD. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO ALL WENT TO PEOPLE.
AND IN MY HEART. I FIND IT HARD
TO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE 12
PEOPLE. THAT ARE WILLING TO
BUILD A CASINO ON THE GRAVEYARD
AND BLOOD SOAKED DIRT OF THE
MASSACRE SITE. WHEN THERE ARE
DOZENS. OTHER PLACES ALONG THE I
FIVE QUARTER CORRIDOR. AND THE
SACRAMENTO RIVER. IT HAS BEEN
CLAIMED. THAT THE MASSACRE NEVER
HAPPENED. JUST GOOGLE BEND IN
THE RIVER READING, CALIFORNIA.
YOU WILL FIND ARTICLE AFTER
ARTICLE. THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE
WHO DO BELIEVE THAT AUSCHWITZ
HAPPENED. I FULLY SUPPORT JACK.
AND THE REDDING RANCHERIA. IN
THEIR QUEST FOR BUILDING A NEW
CASINO TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF
THEIR THEIR MEMBERS. I JUST
CAN'T DO IT AT THAT SPOT. AND
NOT ONLY. ARE THERE NUMEROUS
ARTICLES AND DOCUMENTATIONS? OF
THE MASSACRE ON THAT SITE. IT
WAS HANDED DOWN TO ME. MY
ANCESTORS. MY FATHER WAS BORN IN
1900 0. YOU REALLY SEE HOW OLD I
AM? MY GRANDMOTHER. IN 18 78 AND
MY GREAT GRAMMAR GRANDMOTHER IN
18 38. THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN
HANDED DOWN GENERATION BY
GENERATION. AND SO THE CLAIM
THAT. A MASSACRE DIDN'T HAPPEN
THERE. WRONG. I WANT TO THANK
YOU. MAKE DECISIONS WITH YOUR
HEART AND YOUR MIND. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA WRAP
UP MAIN OPPOSITION MAIN SUPPORT
FROM, UM CHAIR WOMEN AND MEN.
AND I'M GONNA GO TO SUPPORT IN
THE ROOM. AS I STATED EARLIER,
RECOMMEND 30 SECONDS, BUT
BECAUSE I'VE ALLOWED A OTHERS TO
SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LONGER. YOU
COULD GO UP TO ABOUT A MINUTE.
TRADITIONALLY IT'S ONLY NAME. UM
ORGANIZATION AND POSITION ONLY.
UM AND WE'LL PROCEED FOR ANY
SUPPORT. BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR
JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE I KNOW
SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT HERE
FROM THE DIOCESE, UM, INCLUDING
THE VICE CHAIR, AND I THIS IS
ONLY INFORMATIONAL. IT CANNOT BE
AMENDED THE LEGISLATURE. THIS
DUDE DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY
TO AMEND, CHANGE ANYTHING ON THE
COMPACT. IT IS MERELY TO THE
HERD IN THIS COMMITTEE. AH, FILE
AND DOES NOT FOLLOW A VOTE. SO
WE, THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT HAVE
THE VOTE. UM NOR DOES THE
LEGISLATURE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
AMEND AN ANYWAY. UM KEEP THAT IN
MIND DURING YOUR COMMENTS. SO
THE SUPPORT. UM MAY LINE UP ON
THE SAME SAME MICROPHONE. THANK
YOU. NOW FOR THIS. I'M GOING TO
TAP GENTLY WHEN YOU'RE HITTING.
HITTING YOUR TIME, ALL RIGHT?
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE CHAIR,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE
AUDIENCE. MY NAME IS MARK
MAISANO. I'M THE VICE MAYOR FOR
THE CITY OF READING. I APPEAR
BEFORE YOU TODAY. COMPLETE
SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL 854.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY
ADDITIONAL AND SUPPORT.
ENCOURAGE YOU TO START LINING UP
TO IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS NIC BROCA.
HERE WE HAVE THE AQUACULTURE
INTO BAND OF KOREA INDIANS HERE
TO JUST EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR
WRITING RANCHERIA AND URGED THE
LEGISLATURE TO RATIFY THE
COMPACT AND APPROPRIATE TIME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANY
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT COMMENTS? ALL
RIGHT. I'M GONNA HAVE TO. I'M
GOING TO MOVE ON. IF YOU'RE ON
THE PHONE, LISTENING ALL WE'LL
GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE. ANY
OPPOSITION. MAYBE YOU JUST WANT
TO GO AHEAD AND LINE UP BEHIND
THE MICROPHONE. AND I'LL JUST
REMIND YOU THAT I SAID I WAS
GOING TO TAP THE MIC GENTLY WHEN
YOU GET THAT ONE MINUTE. NAME
ORGANIZATION POSITION AND THEN
BRIEF COMMENTS, PLEASE. HI MY
NAME IS LAETITIA MILLER. I'M THE
PAST CAN'T ABANDONED. I'M LIKE
INDIANS VICE CHAIRWOMAN. AND I
AM OPPOSING THIS POTENTIAL
ATROCITY. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS RACHEL
VANSICKLE. I AM THE PAST CAN
TELL AT THE END OF NORMAL, LUCKY
INDIANS TRIBAL REMEMBER AT
LARGE, AND I AM AN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM IS
NATASHA MADONNA AND, UM I'M A
PASTOR AND A TRIBAL MEMBER, AND
I AM ALSO AN OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. KEITH RAY, TRAVEL SECRETARY
FOR THE PAST KIND OF BAND, AND I
AM AN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU.
AFTERNOON CHAIRMAN SANTIAGO VICE
CHAIRMAN LACKING MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS STEVE
WILLIAMS AND I REPRESENT AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED CHESTER
COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR RESPONSIBLE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I AM HERE
TO SAY THAT OUR ORGANIZATION
SUPPORTS THE COMPACT BUT WITH NO
REFERENCE TO THE STRAWBERRY
FIELDS. THERE IS WIDESPREAD
COMMUNITY OPPOSITION FOR ANY
DEVELOPMENT ON THIS LAND, WHICH
IS CURRENTLY ZONED AGRICULTURAL.
IT HAS SALMON. IT IS VERY
SENSITIVE LAND. FOR THE RECORD
THE CITY OF READING TWICE. CITY
COUNCIL HAS SENT LETTERS TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.
UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSING ANY
DEVELOPMENT ON THIS. VICE CHAIR.
MARK MAISANO, WHO JUST SPOKE.
MADE THE MOTION AND VOTED IN
FAVOR OF WRITING A LETTER OF
OPPOSITION. JUST A GENTLE
REMINDER. YOU'VE ALSO HEARD
ABOUT SHASTA COUNTY. SUPPORTING
THIS FROM CHAIRMAN POTTER. I
STRONGLY DISAGREE. SHASTA COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DID VOTE TO
AND COMPACT WITH A VERY STRONG
VOICE IN OPPOSITION. AND THE
FOUR MEMBERS OF THE SHAFT COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTINUE TO
MAKE NATIONAL NEWS FOR THEIR
EXTREME AND ON UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. ANY ADDITIONAL
OPPOSITION COMMENTS? YES. THANK
YOU. MY NAME IS MADAME WITH A
GROUP CALLED SPEAK UP, SHASTA.
WE REPRESENT NEARLY 7000
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SHASTA
COUNTY. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH
THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. UH
IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, ALL OF YOU
HAVE RECEIVED COALITION LETTERS
FROM FROM OUR MEMBERS, OUTLINING
NUMEROUS CONCERNS RANGING FROM,
UH, NOISE TRAFFIC. ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS THE STRAWBERRY FIELDS
AREAS HABITAT HOME TO, UH SALMON
, STEELHEAD BALD EAGLES. UM, AS
CHAIRMAN POTTER MENTIONED, THEY
DON'T REALLY THE CHILD HAS NOT
PUT FORTH ANY SORT OF PLAN TO
MITIGATE THESE CONCERNS. AND WE
JUST WE STAND OPPOSED TO THIS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY
ADDITIONAL OPPOSITION COMMENTS.
HI. MY NAME IS JESSICA FAIRIES,
AND I AM A PAST MEMBER TRIBAL
TRIBAL MEMBER, AND I OPPOSE
THANK YOU. AGAIN IF THERE'S ANY
MORE OPPOSITION. PLEASE START
LINING UP NOW BECAUSE WE. MY
NAME. MY NAME IS ANGELEA HORN.
AND I'M I'M AT, UM, ASKING THE
BAND NO BLACK INDIANS ELDER. AND
I OPPOSED THIS. WHEN I WAS JUST
VERY, VERY YOUNG. I USED TO HEAR
MY GRANDPA TALKED ABOUT THAT.
THING AND THERE AND IT WAS THEN
DIVIDED, KIND OF LIKE AND THEN
WITH THE WEATHER'S AND ALL THAT
KIND OF STUFF THAT SHIFTED AND
EVERYTHING, BUT I REMEMBER HIM
TELLING SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT A
MASSACRE THERE, AND TRIBES FROM
EVERYWHERE USED TO COME THERE.
ALL TRIBES SO TO ME, YOU KNOW,
IT'S JUST NOT ONE PLACE. IT'S A
MASSACRE THAT HAPPENED TO ALL
DIFFERENT NATIVES. SO IT DON'T
LIKE ONE CAN'T PUT A CLAIM ON
NOTHING. ALL OF OUR PEOPLE WERE
MASSACRED THERE. IN AND IN
SOMEBODY LOST AT SOME POINT AND
WOMEN AND CHILDREN ELDERS AND,
UM, THAT'S THE OLD GIRL. I USED
TO HEAR MY CRAP TALK ABOUT THEM,
BUT I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
AT THAT TIME, SO I OPPOSE BEEN
SOMETHING BUILT ON MY ELDERS
EVEN WAY BACK WHEN IT'S JUST NOT
RIGHT. IT IS SACRED. IT'S HOLY.
IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. SO I
OPPOSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY
NAME IS ELENA AGLER. I'M A
MEMBER OF THE PAST CAN ABANDON
NUMBER LIKE YOU AND I OPPOSED TO
THIS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
LAKOTA RINGEL. I'M A DISK IN A
BAND OF NON LOCKING MEMBER AND I
OPPOSE ALL ATTEMPTS TO ERASE
NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND
PLACES THAT PEOPLE WERE BURIED
AND DIED AND WERE HEARD. THANK
YOU. I'M NOT SEEING ANY
ADDITIONAL OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT
COMMENTS, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE
VERY QUICKLY. NOW THE PUBLIC
COMMENTS. UM ON THE PHONE.
MODERATOR AND AGAIN, I'M GOING
TO REMIND THOSE WHO ARE ON THE
PHONE WHO MAY HAVE NOT HAD THE
BENEFIT OF HEARING ME LAST, UM
WELL, I MEAN, LET ME LET ME DO
SOME SECOND. THERE'S STILL
PEOPLE IN THE CROTCH. LET ME SEE
IF THERE'S ANY WHAT WE CALL IN
BETWEEN US, WHICH IS TWEENERS.
IT'S BEEN SAID THAT I HAVEN'T
DONE IT IN SOMETIMES, SO I WILL
DO IT. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY
COMING ON TO DO ANY OF THOSE
COMMENTS, SO I'LL SKIP THAT AND
MOVE OVER TO THE PHONES,
MODERATOR AND AGAIN, I'LL REMIND
THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING ON THE
PHONE THAT THE COMMITTEE CANNOT
AMEND AND CANNOT VOTE. NOR DID
THE LEGISLATURE HAVE THE POWER
TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS
WHATSOEVER. NAME ORGANIZATION
AND POSITIONAL E.
YOU MR KERRY, IF YOU WISH TO
SPEAK IN ON THIS TOPIC, PUSH ONE
THAN ZERO THIS TIME. AND WE'VE
GOT TO LINE NUMBER NINE. PLEASE
GO AHEAD. OKAY JUST A MOMENT
THEY'VE REMOVED THEMSELVES AND
QUÊ. WE'LL GO WITH LINE NUMBER.
12, PLEASE GO AHEAD. Tð
SUPERVISOR, TIM GARMENT DISTRICT
, KILLING SHASTA COUNTY AND VICE
CHAIRMAN OF THE SHASTA COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT I
ABSOLUTELY SUPPORTED THIS
PROJECT AND I WANT TO THANK
EVERY SPEAKER. THE SPOKE TODAY
AND THEY WERE VERY PASSIONATE
AND IT'S GOOD THAT WE ALL GET TO
BE HEARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
LINE. 36, PLEASE GO AHEAD. AS
MARK SIMON MIDDLETOWN, RECTORY
OF TRIBAL CHAIRMAN. I'M HEARING
SUPPORT TODAY FOR REDDING
RANCHERIA. UM, SO THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU. LINE. 51, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON MENU.
YOUNG MY NAME IS MARK MCARDLE
PECHANGA BAND OF THE SENATE AND
THEN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND
WE STAND IN SUPPORT OF READY AND
IN THEIR COMPACT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU. MHM. LINE
NUMBER 19, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ERICA
PINTO. I'M THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE
HOMO INDIAN VILLAGE OF
CALIFORNIA. AND I'M HERE TO
EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR
THE READING. RENTERIA COMPACT A
B 54. TRIBAL STATE GAMING
COMPACTS ARE BEST WHEN THEY
ACKNOWLEDGE AND NOT INFRINGE
UPON TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY. THE
HIMALAYAN VILLAGE SUPPORTS
READING RENTERIA RIGHT TO ENGAGE
IN TRIBAL GAMING FOR THE BENEFIT
OF THEIR TRIBAL COMMUNITY, THEIR
CITIZENS. AND WE'VE ALL SEEN THE
POSITIVE IMPACTS OF TRIBAL
GAMING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. LINE. 25, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. HI. THIS IS TROUBLING. I
OWN TWO BUSINESSES IN WRITING.
AND SPORT. SUPPORT WHEN RIVER.
WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. MAYBE YOU CAN
MOVE TO ANOTHER SIDE OF THE
ROOM.
OKAY? MODERATOR MAYBE HOLD THAT
FOR A SECOND AND THEN WE'LL GO
TO THE NEXT SPEAKER. OKAY WE'LL
GO TO LINE 31. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I'M SORRY. THEY'VE REMOVED SELF.
SOME QUÊ LINE. 21, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. MY NAME IS KEA HANLON AND
I REPRESENT TURN CREEK BOTTOM
HOMEOWNERS AND FRIENDS
ORGANIZATIONS. I'M SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION TO THE READING ROTARY
IT TRIBAL STATE COMPACTS UNLESS
IT REMOVES REFERENCES TO THE
CLASS THREE GAMING ON STRAWBERRY
FIELDS. I BELIEVE THAT TRAIN TO
CONVINCE THE PEOPLE OF THE
COUNTY THAT THIS NEW CASINO IS
JUSTIFIED BECAUSE OF PAST
ATROCITIES, CULTURE AND QUOTE
UNQUOTE SACREDNESS IS A FARCE.
THIS HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH
THE MONEY THAT WILL LINE THE
TRAVEL POCKETS AND NOT BENEFIT
THE TRUTH. CITIZENS OF TEST
ACCOUNT. THANK YOU, MODERATOR.
NEXT SPEAKER. LINE NUMBER NINE.
PLEASE GO AHEAD. YEAH THIS IS
BUSTER ATTERBURY ON THE CREW
TRIBAL CHAIRMAN AND I'M OFFER
SUPPORT FOR A B 8 45. READING
RED TREE COMPACT WITH STATE,
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. LINE NUMBER 28, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. HI MY NAME IS AGNES
GONZALES. I'M THE CHAIR LADY FOR
THE PIT RIVER NATION. I AM HERE
TO PROVIDE A PERIOD WE'RE TRYING
TO SUPPORT TO REDDING RANCHERIA
. FUNDAMENTALLY TRIBAL
SOVEREIGNTY IS NON NEGOTIABLE,
BUT WE ARE IN AN ERA WHERE TOUGH
DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE TRIES
THROUGH PROFITS FROM GAMING NOW
HAVE THE ABILITY TO FULLY
EXERCISE THEIR INHERENT
SOVEREIGNTY BY ADDRESSING THE
NEEDS OF THEIR MEMBERS AND
COMMUNITIES PROVIDED CENTRAL
SERVICES EDUCATION AND PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
TRIED TO NOW AT A POINT WHERE WE
CAN REBUILD OUR NATION'S FROM
BEING DISMANTLED AND PROMOTING
SELF DETERMINATION. WE CAN NOW
PURCHASE PROPERTIES THAT WERE
TAKEN BY FORCE AND THROUGH
POLICY. SUCH LANDS INCLUDE H AND
VILLA SITES, LIVING ALTERED
CEMETERY, SACRED SITES AND LAND
THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BENEFIT THE
TRIBE. DUE TO GAMING. WE CAN NOW
PRESERVED A PATH ENABLE OUR
PRESENT AND PROVIDED
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR FUTURE.
DAMIEN HAS PROVIDED
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PEOPLE.
SOME TRIBAL OPERATIONS HAVE
BECOME LUCRATIVE. OTHERS HAVE
PULLED THEIR COMMUNITIES FROM
DESPAIR. PIT RIVER TRIED TO
SUPPORT THE EXERCISE OF TRIBAL
SOVEREIGNTY, TRIBAL SELF
DETERMINATION AND TRIBAL NATION
REBUILDING. WE SUPPORT READING
RANCHERIA. MODERATOR. OKAY AND
LINE. 53, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO
NORTH FORK RANCHERIA MONO
INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA TRIBAL
VICE CHAIRWOMAN AND TORY NAYLOR
. UM, JUST HERE, TOO. UM MAKE
KNOWN OUR SUPPORT OF READING
MATERIAL AND THEIR GAMING
PROJECT. THANK YOU. MODERATOR 14
LINE. 14, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS REGINA
QUELLER, AND I AM THE TRIBAL
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE SHINGLES
SPRINGS BAND OF ME WALK INDIANS
LOCATED OFF OF HIGHWAY 50, EAST
OF SACRAMENTO ABOUT 30 MILES,
AND I AM CALLING TO SHOW SUPPORT
FOR THE READING REENTRY. A
COMPACT THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IN
LINE 22, PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY
NAME IS KIM PATTON WITH MEDIA
PLUS AND READING, AND I'VE SEEN
FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT
THAT REDDING RANCHERIA HAS HAD
ON THE COMMUNITY AND I FULLY
SUPPORT THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU. BIND. 54,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS TOM
REAMS ON REPRESENTING THE
CHEERING CREEK BOTTOM HOMEOWNERS
AND FRIENDS ORGANIZATION.
SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE
REDDING RANCHERIA TRIBAL STATE
COMPACT UNLESS IT REMOVES
REFERENCES TO CLASS THREE GAMING
ON STRAWBERRY FIELDS. DRINKWITZ
BOTTOM HAS A MEMBERSHIP OF ABOUT
200 HOUSEHOLDS, AND OUR MISSION
IS TO MAINTAIN AGRICULTURAL,
ZONING AND RURAL LIFESTYLE
ENJOYED BY OUR RESIDENTS AND
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS WELL
AS PRESERVE IT FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS. OUR ORGANIZATION
HAS LONG OPPOSED PLACING 232
ACRES OF LAND TO TRIBAL TRUST
FOR PURPOSES OF OPERATING A
CASINO. THIS NEW CASINO WOULD
RESULT IN A LOSS OF FERTILE
AGRICULTURAL LAND FARM IN THE
RURAL COMMUNITIES. AESTHETICS
NEGATIVELY IMPACT GROUNDWATER
FOR THOSE LIVING, INSURING CREEK
BOTTOM AND CAUSE THE NEED FOR
ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
RESOURCES AND INCREASED TRAFFIC
CONGESTION. THANK YOU CONCERNED
ABOUT HAVING A SEWAGE TREATMENT
FACILITY ON THIS PARCEL FOR SUCH
A LARGE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT,
WHICH COULD POLLUTE THE
GROUNDWATER AND THE SACRAMENTO
RIVER. THANK YOU, MODERATOR. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. MHM.
HMM LINE 55, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
HELLO MY NAME IS PETE RAMIREZ
AND THE SYSTEM. CULTURAL
RESOURCE SPECIALISTS FOR
CALIFORNIA GALIMIR LOOK, CHARGE
MANCHURIA AND WHAT ARE SPEAKING
AND SUPPORT OF CHAIRMAN POTTER
AND WRITING RANCHERIA AND THEIR
ENDEAVOR. WE BELIEVE THAT THEY
WILL NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT ANY
CULTURAL RESOURCES DUE TO THE
HISTORY AND RELATIONSHIP. WE
HAVE WORKED WITH THEM AND SAYING
THAT THEY DO PROTECT CULTURAL
RESOURCES. AND CULTURE AS A
NUMBER ONE. TOWARDS THE TRIBE
AND ALWAYS PROMOTING CULTURAL TO
NEIGHBORING TRIBES. SO AS A
CULTURAL RESOURCE SPECIALISTS IN
SUPPORT OF WRITING RENTERIA,
THANK YOU. LINE. 31, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHRIS
LINDH'S FROM EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OF THE CALIFORNIA TRAVEL
BUSINESS ALLIANCE MEMBER TRIBES
OF THE ALLIANCE SUPPORT READING,
RAN TORREON, ITS EFFORTS AND
HOPE THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED
THE RATIFICATION ABILITY.
APPROPRIATE TIME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. IN LINE 57, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. YES MY NAME IS KEVIN CRY
. I AM A SHASTA COUNTY
SUPERVISOR REPRESENTING DISTRICT
ONE I'M CALLING IN. NOT ONLY IS
MY ROLE AS SUPERVISOR BUT ALSO
AS A PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNER. I
HAVE DEALT WITH THE TRIBE OVER
20. PLUS YEARS WORKING WITH THE
YOUTH IN OUR COUNTY. THEY'VE
BEEN NOTHING BUT A HUGE BLESSING
IN ADDITION TO OUR COUNTY, AND I
HOPE THAT YOU SUPPORT THIS BILL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND MR
CHAIR. WE HAVE NO ONE ELSE IN Q
AT THIS TIME. OKAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MR. MARTIN I WANT TO
THANK THE COMMITTEE TO FOR BEING
HERE TODAY AND ENGAGING IN IN IN
AND IN A IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UM. BEEN LONGER THAN MOST NORMAL
, UM, HEARINGS ON A COMPACT AND
FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT WAS A
LITTLE BIT LONGER. I WANT TO
KNOW IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY
CLOSING COMMENTS. MR CHAIR. IF
THEY BE BRIEF, UM THEN WE'LL
CLOSE OUT THE COMMITTEE AFTER
THAT, AND JUST TO REMIND
EVERYONE AGAIN AND I'LL SAY
BECAUSE IT WAS SAID A COUPLE OF
TIMES. UH ON THE PHONE. WE ARE
NOT TAKING ANY ACTION. WE DO NOT
HAVE THE ABILITY TO VOTE. AH OR
MAKE AMENDMENTS OR ANY SUGGESTED
CHANGES. NOR DOES THE
LEGISLATURE HAD THE ABILITY TO
DO THAT WHATSOEVER. UM, I JUST
WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT MR
CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. CHAIRPERSON
AND THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR AN
OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE A
RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTS MADE BY
OUR OLD FRIENDS FROM THE SOUTH.
THE NORMAL AKI BAND OF PAST
KANTA. WE UNDERSTAND THE PAST
CAN'T ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
POTENTIAL FINANCIAL IMPACT OUR
PROJECT COULD HAVE ON THE
ROLLING HILLS CASINO. THEY NEED
NOT WORRY GAVE ME AN INDIAN
COUNTRY CAN BE A TIDE THAT
RAISES ALL OF OUR CANOES. WE
SHOULD NOT BATTLE AGAINST ONE
ANOTHER. IN THAT SPIRIT. WE HAVE
REACHED OUT TO PASS CANHA AND
SEVERAL LOCATIONS OVER THE YEARS
IN AN EFFORT TO SEEK WAYS FOR
THE PAST KANTA AND THE READY AND
RANCH. WE HAD TO WORK TOGETHER
IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE BOTH OF OUR
GAMING OPERATION SUCCESSFUL. IN
THE NEAR FUTURE TRIBAL COUNCIL
WILL BE MEETING WITH PAST
CANTOR'S TRIBAL COUNCIL AT THE
END OF THE DAY, THE TRUE VALUE
OF INDIAN GAMING. INSTEAD IT
OFFERS TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS A WAY
OF IMPROVING THE LIVES OF ALL
INDIAN PEOPLE AND MAKING TRIBES
MORE SELF SUFFICIENT. WE HAVE
WORKED TOGETHER IN THE PAST AND
I AM CONFIDENT WE WILL MEND OUR
DISAGREEMENTS AND FIND A PATH ON
STAR COMPACT IS APPROVED. WE'RE
BOTH THE PAST CAN'T AND THE
READING ENTRY CAN ENJOY
FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR THE
BENEFIT OF ALL PEOPLE. OUR
FIELDS. TELL YOU OUR FRIENDS
TELL YOU THAT THE LAND UPON
WHICH WE INTEND TO GAME ON HIS
SACRED BECAUSE IT IS A PLACE
WHERE IN 18 46 CAPTAIN JOHN
FREMONT AND HIS MEN MASSACRED UP
TO 1000 WHEN TWO MEN, WOMEN AND
CHILDREN AND A HORRIFIC DISPLAY
OF INHUMANITY. THAT IS A LIE.
MANY MEMBERS OF THE REDDING
RANCHERIA ARE DIRECT NGUYEN TO
DESCENDANTS OF THOSE WHO WERE
MASSACRED. AND WHILE THE FREMONT
MASSACRE IS THE SAD PART OF OUR
TRIBAL HISTORY, CONTRARY TO WHAT
YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD, THE REDDING
RANCHERIA IS I FIVE. PROPERTY IS
NOT THE LOCATION OF THIS
MASSACRE. THE SUGGESTION THAT WE
WOULD ABANDON OUR TRADITIONAL
DUTY TO OUR ANCESTORS AND
INTENTIONALLY DISTURBED THEIR
RESTING PLACE AS A SLANDER
THEY'LL THAT WILL NOT EASILY BE
FORGOTTEN. THIS COMMITTEE NEED
NOT TAKE MY WORD, HOWEVER. THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CARRYING
OUT ITS DUTY UNDER THE NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, AS
CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE CULTURAL
SURVEYS OF THE LANDS AT ISSUE
HERE AND HAS FOUND NOTHING TO
SUPPORT HAS CANTONS CLAIMS THE
CLAIMS ARE SIMPLY FALSE. LET US
BE CLEAR THE PAST CANTOR ARE NOT
HERE TODAY OUT OF CONCERN FOR
THEIR CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE
WIND TO PEOPLE. THEY ARE NOT
HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS ANXIOUS
NOUS ABOUT DISTURBING THE
RESTING PLACE OF MASSACRED
ANCESTORS OF THE RED AND
RANCHERIA. THEY ARE NOT HERE OUT
OF CONCERN FOR OUR LAND. THEY
ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE
MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT REDDING
RANCHERIA GAMING ON ITS I FIVE
PROPERTY WILL CUT INTO THE
PROFITS OF THEIR GAMING FACILITY
. I ONCE AGAIN ASK YOU THAT YOU
SUPPORT THIS COMPACT, NEGATING
NEGOTIATED BETWEEN READING AND
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. AND A LOT
OF THE STATEMENTS THAT CHAIRMAN
RECORDS SAID AND CHAIRMAN
ALEJANDRO SAID. ARE BASED OFF OF
MY DESCENDANT. MY ANCESTOR WHO I
AM A DESCENDANT FROM NOURIEL
BUDDHISTS. THOSE VILLAGES THEY
TALK ABOUT. YES, THEY WERE ALONG
THERE. HE WAS THE OLDEST KNOWN
NGUYEN TO THAT SURVIVED THOSE
MASSACRES AND HE DOCUMENTED IN
THE OCCASIONAL PAPERS OF THE
READING, ART AND HISTORY. AND HE
NAMES OVER 236 VILLAGES AND YES
, SOUTH OF OUR, UM STRAWBERRY
FIELDS. CHAIRMAN ALEJANDRA SPOKE
ABOUT THERE IS OVER 100 BURIALS
THERE AND IT WASN'T DUE TO A
MASSACRE. IT WAS DUE TO THE
HEADMAN OF THAT VILLAGE. COME
BY. SHERYL IS THE VILLAGE NAME
AND THE HEADMAN WAS SUCKED TO
AND HE WAS BAD. AND WHEN THE
PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THAT AREA
AND WATER TO GET WATER AND STUFF
HE WOULD KILL THEM IN THE NIGHT
BECAUSE HE WOULD WAIT. OLD
PEOPLE SAID, AND IT'S DOCUMENTED
IN THAT BOOK. AND SO IF THERE
WAS A MASSACRE ON THIS SITE,
WOULD YOU NOT THINK THAT THE
DESCENDANT FROM EDITORIAL POTUS
MY RELATIVE WOULD HAVE MENTIONED
THAT THE MASSACRE WAS HERE? HE
TALKS ABOUT IT DOWN. AND PEOPLE
FROM THAT AREA. NO TURTLE BAY,
AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A
LARGE FENCED OFF AREA ON THE
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER,
WHERE READING IN TRADITIONAL
TIMES. I WAS READING HAS GROWN
ABUNDANTLY. IT IS A LARGE LARGE
CITY NOW AND IT NOW GOES 55
SQUARE MILES. BACK IN THOSE
TIMES, IT WAS JUST A LITTLE
SMALL HAMLET AND I REASSURE YOU
AS A WINTER PERSON. DESCENDANT
FROM THE MASSACRES. I WILL NOT
DESTROY OR BRING THIS HONOR TO
MY PEOPLE. I WILL DO WHAT'S
RIGHT AND THE BEST PEOPLE TO
TAKE CARE OF THE LAND IS THE
DESCENDANTS OF THOSE AREAS. AND
YES, CHAIRMAN. RICKARD TALKED
ABOUT THE NINE BANDS. WE TOO,
ARE DESCENDANTS FROM THOSE NINE
BANDS. AND WE DID HAVE CLEAR
DEFINED TERRITORIES AND PASS
CANTONS TERRITORY IS SOUTH OF
COTTONWOOD CREEK. THEY DID NOT
GO NORTH OF COTTONWOOD CREEK. IT
IS WITHIN THOSE MAPS AND LIKE
CHAIRMAN RECORDS SAID THAT, UH,
THAT AREA WAS HOME TO THE NINE
BANDS OF WIND TO PEOPLE. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU, UM. BEFORE I CONCLUDE
THE THIS, UH, THIS INFORMATIONAL
HERE AND WE SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE
WALK IN. JUST KEEP YOU UP TO
DATE SO THAT WE KNOW THE
COMMITTEE HAS NO ABILITY TO MAKE
ANY AMENDMENTS CHANGES OR VOTES
TO THIS IS SIMPLY AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING. UM I
APPRECIATE, UH, APPRECIATE
EVERYONE'S PARTICIPATION HERE.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T AMEND AND WE
CANNOT VOTE AND IT'S FOR
INFORMATIONAL HEARING ONLY. I'M
GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE
MEETING. UM THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
WHO HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY
CHAIRMAN ALL THE CHAIR, WOMEN
AND MEN WHO PARTICIPATED ALL THE
TRIBAL LEADERS WHO ARE HERE WITH
US TODAY. UH ALL THE WORKERS AND
EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS AN
ADVOCATE OR OTHERWISE, UH, BE IN
PERSON OR BY PHONE, SO I'M
GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTICIPATION
AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. AND
OUR AND OUR TEAM WHO SURROUNDS
US WITH THAT I WILL END THE
MEETING. THANK YOU.