Republicans blamed for casino setback

By STEVE SCHULTZE sschultze@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Friday, March 7, 2003

Republican criticism of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's lucrative gambling deals with two tribes has dealt a major setback to ongoing gambling negotiations with all the state's 11 tribes, Doyle's top deputy said Thursday.

"It has really set back the momentum significantly," said Marc Marotta, secretary of the Department of Administration. Republican lawmakers' efforts to force renegotiation of two tribal-state deals and give the Legislature a say in them has "presented a level of uncertainty" to ongoing gambling negotiations, Marotta said in an interview.

Doyle and the leader of the Forest County Potawatomi tribe have signed a new gambling agreement that calls for the tribe to make payments of some $78 million more over the next two years; lifts a 1,000 slot machine limit on the tribe's Milwaukee casino; and would permit the addition of craps and roulette games.

In addition, the compact would have no expiration date, but any terms could be renegotiated after 25 years. A similar deal has been tentatively cut by Doyle with the Oneida Nation.

Marotta said some lawmakers' concerns over compacts that have been described as "perpetual" by the tribes is based on misunderstanding. The Potawatomi and Oneida deals would permit renegotiation of regulatory terms every five years and total renegotiation after 25, he said.

That makes the Doyle deals about the same as what Assembly Speaker John Gard has said he might settle for, Marotta said. Gard said this week he believed Republicans might ultimately go for Doyle's deals if they had a set 25-year term.

"That's basically what we have," Marotta said. "We are in agreement."

However, Gard said Thursday that a new Republican bill being prepared will call for 10-year terms, with five-year renewal options. Twenty- or 25-year compact durations might ultimately be acceptable, but with more money going to the state than what Doyle has negotiated so far, Gard said.

His position is not the same as Doyle's, Gard said, because a compact with an expiration date of 25 years is different from having the option of renegotiating some terms after 25 years. The state would have more leverage with the tribes with a certain expiration date, Gard said.

Copyright 2003 Journal Sentinel Inc. Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.