Tribe Writes Check Against Props 94-97

It remains to be seen exactly how big of a campaign will be mounted against the four tribal gaming deals appearing as referendums on the February ballot. But one prominent tribe has definitely upped the ante in opposition.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians yesterday put a cool $2.5 million into the campaign account they created to defeat Propositions 94, 95, 96, and 97. Those five measures ask voters to accept or reject the gaming agreements with four southern California tribes that were ratified by the Legislature this year.

The San Diego county based Pala had already spent about $1 million to fight the four agreements, and another tribe-- the United Auburn Indian Community of northern California-- had also put up some of the seed money to get the four referendums qualified for the ballot.

But those two tribes have left most of the anti-tribal agreement fundraising to the horse racing tracks and labor unions who oppose these deals. Until now.

Meantime, the four tribes whose agreements are on the ballot aren't pinching pennies when it comes to the looming contest. Their main political campaign reports total contributions so far of more than $34.4 million, with most of the money coming from the tribes themselves: the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians.