California: Tribes Flex Power on Sacred Sites (if bill signed, could veto development)

Los Angeles Times ^ | September 10, 2002

[John Jorsett]

SACRAMENTO -- A formidable Capitol coalition of local governments, builders and landowners is feeling the power of California's Native American lobby in a fight over a bill created to safeguard sacred sites.

Senate Bill 1828 would compel government agencies to notify a Native American tribe of any proposed development within 20 miles of its reservation and could require developers to reduce the effects of such a project.

According to business groups and other opponents, if it is signed into law, the reality could be an avalanche of lawsuits and endless development delays. They say economic growth and development in California are at stake.

[John Jorsett]

In San Diego county, we have 19 Indian reservations. If this bill becomes law, about 2 square feet of the county will be outside of their jurisdiction.

I foresee what's going to happen all over California: the board, which has to be majority Indian, and is appointed by the governor, will delay and hinder projects until the tribes and politicians are paid a tribute by the developer. This is just a way for both of these groups to extract more dough out of private business.

[John Jorsett]

This is another instance where Davis has to trade off offending two major groups of contributors. I'll bet his toughest job as governor is deciding which side to sell out to.

[chit*chat]

I think it is too bad about their delays. We stole the land from the Indians and consistently broke our treaties. They are entitled to their land.

[2banana]

Just out of curiosity, should we give the Indians who sided with the British (which was just about every tribe) all of their land back? I know it sucks to pick the wrong side of a war but what are some massacres between friends? And since the Indians practiced slavery, genocide and cannibalism, where exactly do we draw the lines??? (and will the Indian tribes give us back all that taxpayer money they have been soaking up for the last 100 years?)

[Carry_Okie]

I don't suppose you have ever had the pleasure of meeting one of these $150/hr tribal consultants.

They tell you which tribe they represent, but that tribe might have lived 150 miles away... Well, all I've got to tell you is that they seem to know an awful lot about land they've never visited. There's no telling how they were "discovered" to be local tribal representatives (much less certified as such), seeing as many of those tribes have been gone for over a century. Sometimes they tell patent lies about the way the land was "before the white man came" (usually detailing how it was when they were kids around 1940). It's fascinating how huffy they get when confronted with historical facts that refute their claims.

After the tribes get done with you, then there are the archaeologists. In Santa Cruz County, anything on your land over 50 years old, constitutes a possible archaeological site. Then there's the biotic survey... the geotechnical report... the geological hazards assessment... the soils report...

[kaktuskid]

Are they REAL Indians..or just Hispanics with a few drops of Injun blood....like the "Tribes" on the East Coast and their casinos.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Ok, to the reading list!

calgov2002:

California Laws for Sale

calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. 

calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. 

Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register

[tubebender]

I have been following this somewhat and I agree with all here that this is the biggest anti freedom bill ever passed. It will apply to every development you can imagine except of course the Indian casinos themselves. Most Indians are as bad as women about nitpicking.

I bebeive our own Wes Chesbro sponsored this.

[tubebender]

Then there's the biotic survey... the geotechnical report... the geological hazards assessment... the soils report...

Does the geotechnical include the Tsunami studies as now required in Eureka ?

[Gophack]

OK, here's the question ... who gave more money to Davis? The tribes or the developers? I know that the developers gave Davis major dollars, and he's close to Angelides who is tight with the developers. I see a veto ... but maybe the tribes have ponied up more money, and in that case Davis may go with them ... this is so confusing! Davis should just put up an auction between the developers and the Indians ... wait, there already is one! egray.org!