COMMITTEE ON COMPACTS APPROVES NAVAJO COMPACT
Yesterday, on a lopsided vote, the legislative Committee on Compacts approved the Navajo gambling compact, which will allow the Navajos to build three additional Class III casinos.
Representative Clemente Sanchez made a motion to reject the compacts, but that failed. Senator George Munoz countered by making a motion to send the compacts to the legislature with a “do pass” recommendation. The motion passed by a wide margin, sending the compacts to the full legislature.
Every other tribe that testified at the committee hearings protested the compacts, saying that the state was “saturated” with casino gambling opportunities, and that the three additional casinos would cause them economic distress. The pueblos that are the most fearful are the Laguna and Acoma pueblos, both of which have casinos on I-40. The Navajos have the potential to build a casino at To’hajiilee, formerly Canoncito, which would pose a major threat to the other casinos.
Both the House and Senate will now have an opportunity to vote on the compacts, with no opportunity to amend them, but give a straight “yes” or “no” vote.
Stop Predatory Gambling is opposed to the addition of three more casinos, so we are going to lobby the legislature to vote “no” on the compacts.
Action alerts will follow when it looks like the compacts will soon appear on the legislature’s agenda.
An article in the Albuquerque Journal on the committee hearing can be read by clicking here.
