Indian Gaming > Editorial: Governor should negotiate compacts

February 10, 2006

Editorial: Governor should negotiate compacts

"Legislators are unlikely to defeat a bill giving them more power.

But that's exactly what they should do. They're trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.

A bill that would give legislators - and not the governor - final authority over expansion of Native American gambling operations made it through the Senate State Affairs Committee, 7-2, and awaits final action in the Senate.

The essence is simple. Primary sponsor Dave Knudson, a Sioux Falls Republican, wants the Legislature to vote on any expansion of Native American gaming. By giving the Legislature a role, he figures he can stop the expansion.

But if legislators want to stop gambling expansion, they should work on legislation that would do just that.

Knudson's bill unnecessarily mucks up a system that works. There's no evidence whatsoever that the governor's office - the current one or those in the past - have done a bad job handling the gambling agreements."

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Editorial: Gambling expansion (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 2/10)