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Casino hearing draws tribal testimony

Written by Administrator

Thursday, 03 February 2011

Casino hearing draws tribal testimony February 2, 2011 by James M. Odato Despite the stay-at-home advice of some employers in Albany, Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee Chairman Gary Pretlow is conducting a hearing this morning on the prospects of a Native American casino in the Catskills proposed by the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans. The leader of the Wisconsin-based tribe, Kim Vele, has prepared testimony that suggests racino operators complaining about the project are wrongly comparing their Lottery franchises to the private investment the tribe plans near Monticello in Sullivan County. She also defends the land claim settlement that would be part of the deal to allow the casino to go forward, a claim disputed by the New York Oneida tribe. Here are her prepared remarks: As President of the Stockbridge Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians I speak for the Mohican People – those living, those long dead and those yet to be born. On behalf of all of those generations I am filled with anger and sadness at the letter you have circulated to your colleagues in the Assembly in opposition to the Settlement Agreement entered into by the Tribe and the State of New York.  You have every right to oppose the Tribe’s casino project in Sullivan County if you think it is not good for your constituents. You have no right to question the legitimacy of the Stockbridge Munsee Tribe or its place in New York history. You have no right to deny the Mohican People their history and you should be ashamed for doing so. You can be forgiven for not knowing of the federal and State historic preservation agencies’ views on the history of the Mohican People in the Hudson Valley and the Munsee People in the Delaware River watershed but it is hard to imagine however that you managed to miss the events up and down the Hudson River commemorating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage up the river that now bears his name. The Mohicans met Hudson just south of Albany long before your ancestors came to New York so you can imagine our anger at your cavalier denial of Mohican history. Just a short distance from the area you represent is a marker in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The marker commemorates the valor and sacrifice made by Stockbridge Chief Winham and his warriors during the Revolutionary War. It is historical fact that the Stockbridge fought and died to help New York break free from oppression yet you deny our place in your history. Go visit the marker and maybe you will see the remnants of a wreath placed there by a full color guard from West Point honoring the Stockbridge contribution. Schodack Island is just 10 miles south of Alban. In that Park you will find another marker – a New York State sign post – stating that Schodack Island was a center of government for the Mohican People and that the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe is the only federally recognized tribe who are Mohican descendants. We disagree with you respectfully on the merits of our agreement with the State and our Sullivan County casino project. Although we were not invited to testify at this hearing, I am grateful that you agreed to our request to participate in this hearing so we can set the public record straight. I was surprised that you have repeated our competitors’ contention that our efforts to settle our land claim and build a casino resort in Sullivan County were done in secret.  I checked the record and you and ten other Assembly members who signed your letter voted in favor of the 2001 legislation that authorized three Indian run casinos in the Catskills as well as VLTs at the race tracks.  In addition, you and 16 other signators voted in favor of authorizing a casino for the Mohawk tribe in Sullivan County in 2005.  Let me briefly detail the very public process the Tribe has engaged in during the last eleven years. • In 2002 the Tribe reached an agreement with Sullivan County under which the Tribe agreed to pay $15 million annually to Sullivan County to mitigate impacts to the county from our project. • In 2002, The Tribe released the Draft Environmental Assessment for public comment. • In February 2003, the Tribe entered into a Sewer Services Agreement with the Town of Thompson. • In 2003, in response to a request by the Department of Interior, the Tribe elected to withdraw its Environmental Assessment (EAS) and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). • In 2004, the State adopted home rule legislation that allowed the Sewer Services Agreement to become effective. • In 2004 The Tribe entered into a Water Service Agreement with the Village of Monticello and the Town of Thompson. • In 2004 a public scoping meeting on the DEIS was held in Sullivan County • In December 2004 the Tribe and Governor Pataki signed the “Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Stockbridge-Munsee Land Claim in the State of New York.” • In February 2005, the Sullivan County Legislature approved a resolution supporting the proposal that would authorize five casino resorts, including the one proposed by the Stockbridge-Munsee.  The Towns of Thompson, Mamakating, Fallsburg and Liberty and the Villages of Liberty and Monticello also passed individual resolutions favoring the five casino resorts, which together represent 63.5% of Sullivan County’s population. • In 2005, the Tribe released the DEIS for public comment.  A public hearing was held on the DEIS on March 10th in Sullivan County and the public comment period ended on March 28th.  A final EIS was submitted to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. •In September 2006, the Spitzer campaign stated that, as Governor, he would negotiate with the Stockbridge-Munsee because of the Tribe’s strong ties to the State. • In 2007 Governor Spitzer announced his support for the development of casinos in the Catskills. • In 2009 Senator Schumer, Governor Paterson, Town of Thompson Supervisor Anthony Cellini and Sullivan County Legislature Chairman John Rouis wrote to the Bureau of Indian Affairs urging them to reverse the Bush Administration’s ban on off-reservation gaming and approve the Stockbridge-Munsee application to build a casino resort in Sullivan County.  These letters were released to the press. • In 2010 Governor Paterson and Congressman Maurice Hinchey wrote to the Secretary of Interior in support of the Stockbridg-Munsee land-claim settlement in New York and taking land into trust in Sullivan County on which Class III gaming may be conducted. • In November 2010 Governor Paterson and the Tribe signed a land claim settlement against the State of New York and a gaming compact.  These agreements are contingent upon the approval by the Secretary of the Interior and will not be legally effective until approved.  The canons of ethics, the rules of the court and the laws of evidence bar the Governor’s counsel, lawyers for the Tribe and the Interior Department from releasing litigation-settlement documents before the negotiations are complete and the settlement is finalized. http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/55678/casino-hearing-draws-tribal-testimony/

 

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