State Legislative Analyst Office Reports Indian Gaming Opponents
Have Cost State $200 Million in Lost Revenue;
More Than 100,000 Californians Join Coalition to
Support the New Indian Gaming Agreements

SACRAMENTO – A report released yesterday from the state Legislative Analyst's Office states that the referendum effort undertaken by self-interested parties – a Las Vegas casino owner and other gambling interests who want to overturn four new Indian gaming agreements – have cost the state more than $200 million in lost revenue and will cause substantial damage to the state's budget.

These self-interested gambling concerns have spent millions on the referendum petition in a bald-faced effort to try to and squash competition.

"Subsequent to the Legislature's actions on the compacts in June, referenda petitioners submitted signatures of registered voters to place the legislative measures ratifying four of the compacts on the February 2008 statewide ballot.," said the LAO Report released on Wednesday. "As a result of these delays, we project the 2007–08 General Fund revenues from tribal compacts will be more than $200 million lower than the budget assumed." (LAO Report, 11/14/07) - http://www.lao.ca.gov/2007/fiscal_outlook/fiscal_outlook_07.aspx

In contrast to the motivations of the opponents, the Coalition to Protect California's Budget & Economy today announced that a diverse group of more than 100,000 California citizens and organizations are putting self-interest aside and are joining the Coalition daily to show their support for the new Indian gaming agreements.

The agreements were negotiated by Governor Schwarzenegger and approved by the state legislature and will generate more than $9 billion in new revenues to California over the next two decades.

Under these agreements, four tribes, that already have casinos on their reservation land in Riverside and San Diego County -- the Agua Caliente, Morongo, Pechanga and Sycuan – agreed to pay a much higher percentage of their gaming revenues to the state in return for having a restricted number of additional slot machines at their casinos.

This will provide California hundreds of millions of dollars each and every year for the next two decades – providing vitally needed new funding to help reduce California's budget deficit and to help pay for education, public safety and other public services statewide.

The more than 100,000 individual and organizational members of the coalition signed up on the internet, signed petitions or volunteered their support. Notable new coalition members include:

• California Fire Chiefs Association
• California State Law Enforcement Association
• Communications Workers of America
• California Association for Local Economic Development
• California State Chapter of the NAACP
• Mexican American Political Association
• Congress of California Seniors

To see our latest member list, visit the Who We Are section of our website www.YesforCalifornia.com.

Media with additional inquiries about the Coalition to Protect California’s Budget & Economy can contact Roger Salazar at (916) 444-8897.