"Under gaming compacts with the state, tribes must dole out 2 percent of net receipts from table games into a fund that addresses the local impacts of casino operations. They also must pass out 0.5 percent of net receipts after payouts from machines through a charitable distribution.

What it means is tribes are writing checks to defray costs of law enforcement and fire services and supporting Boys & Girls clubs, public schools, nonprofit health care providers, chambers of commerce and local relief efforts.

In 2007, through these funds, the tribes statewide allocated roughly $13 million through these two channels.

If legislators and the governor sat down with tribal leaders, a valuable conversation could ensue on using those dollars to fill voids left by cuts of state funding to social and human services at the local level.

“Working with the tribes under consultation we may be able to look at how funds trickle down and help make up a little bit of the difference so those services are not so impacted,” the woman told the legislators."

Get the Story:
Jerry Cornfield: Democrats are strangely silent on tribal revenue-sharing idea (The Everett Herald 2/28)