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FEBRUARY 22, 2001

The chairman of the New Mexico Legislature's Committee on Compacts on Wednesday said he wants to act quickly on a new gaming compact with the state's 13 tribes.

So far, 11 out of 13 tribes have endorsed the new compact, which would cap the tribes' revenue sharing rate at 8 percent. They now are required to pay 16 percent but all have refused to make the payments, saying the rate is too high.

Attorney General Patricia Madrid has sued the tribes as a result. She wants them to make back payments to the state, which all have now agreed to do, but the Mescalero Apache Tribe and Pojoaque Pueblo want half of the money to go to Indian education.

The two tribes also have proposed a different revenue sharing scheme and don't support the agreement now before the Legislature.

Get the Story:
Speed Sought on Gaming Decision (The Albuquerque Journal 2/22)
Proposed Compacts Submitted To Legislature (AP 2/21)