May 2008

Dear C4C Supporter,

Thanks for all your support and prayers! Your words of encouragement, monetary support and volunteer help over the past 46 months have meant very much to all of us on your C4C committee. As a result, we can now inform you that we have no present need for donations – how often does that happen?! All of our bills are paid, including what we owed to Mr. Lynch, the ethno-historian who researched and compiled the excellent report we have written about in prior newsletters.  Also, the costs of this newsletter are more than covered. We are so grateful to you!

We could end our letter here but wish to update you on recent

events learned from two articles in different issues of the Hocak Worak, a publication which covers Ho-Chunk news. They contain positive news for our goal to prevent a Ho-Chunk Reservation/Casino in our community.

One article states, “On January 3, the Department of the Interior rejected a number of off-reservation casino applications submitted by Native Nations across the United States. Officials notified 11 Native governments that the proposals are not considered in the best interests of the Nations affected. In reference to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988, Associate Secretary of the Interior Carl Artman stated that, ‘Although IGRA was intended to promote economic development on reservations, it was not intended to encourage the establishment of Indian gaming facilities far from existing reservations.’”. The article concluded, “The ruling could affect the Nation’s desire to place land into trust and open a casino in Lynwood, IL, about 300 miles from its executive office in Black River Falls. Responding to a request from the Hocak Worak, attorney Michael Murphy issued the following. ‘The Nation did submit a letter of application to the BIA in March 2006 to have land in Lynwood, IL placed into trust for gaming purposes under the IGRA. The Nation submitted the application in order to meet a deadline set by Sen. John McCain by which all applications had to be submitted, or be subject to his proposed amendments to the IGRA. Of course, those amendments never came to pass; but the Nation’s letter was received as an application by the BIA. In light of a letter sent by George Skibine (Acting Principal Deputy Associated Secretary-Indian Affairs) on January 4, 2008, where it was indicated that the BIA would take no further action on the Nation’s application due to incomplete information, the Nation has the option to still pursue its application by submitting all necessary information needed by the BIA. If the Nation decided to push ahead, it would need to supply all information required to satisfy the standards in applicable federal law (IGRA) and regulations (Part 151). As well as the new interpretive Guidance issued by BIA Director, Carl Artman.’ And now we wait.”

Another article in a recent Hocak Worak states, “As the dispute over the gaming compact signed by the Ho-Chunk Nation and the State of Wisconsin enters its fourth year, it appears the sides are headed back to federal court. In a decision announced January 14, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Nations’ argument that its status as a sovereign Nation protected it from the state’s lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The State of Wisconsin is seeking to recover an estimated $72 million, money it claims the Nation owes following the signing of its gaming compact in 2003.” 

These articles make clear that for now we must simply watch. We have done what we could and will continue to monitor these situations as well as any other casinos that may be proposed for our area. However, unless a new need arises this will be our final Newsletter. 

Our remaining C4C account balance will be held in reserve for now. Once we decide our services are no longer needed we plan to donate any left over balance to two organizations which were very helpful to us. Each continues to oppose gambling and casino expansion. One is Illinois Church Action Against Alcohol and Addiction Problems (www.ilcaaap.org), headed by Anita Bedell, and located in Springfield. Its mission states it is “a statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to prevent problems caused by alcohol, other drugs, and gambling” and they have kept us informed of many proposed laws and activities that promote such vices. The other is the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling (www.ncalg.org), headed by Tom Grey with an office in Washington D.C. Tom had initially encouraged various leaders of our community to oppose the “done deal” proposed as coming into Lynwood. This nationally active organization has a mission to compile “information on the adverse personal, social, economic and public health impacts of gambling” and to disseminate “it to citizens and policy-makers at the local, state and national levels”.

There are many other groups with similar goals who have also helped us and we express our appreciation to all of them, too. One example is Casino Free PA (www.casinofreepa.org), headed by Diane Berlin, which is a “…coalition of groups and individuals who are opposing casino gambling in Pennsylvania.”

Please consider taking some time to find information on other organizations by browsing our website located at (www.citizens4community.org). If you are able, we encourage you to contact and show them your support.

Once again, our most sincere thanks for your support for us and our community. These efforts have shown that when we all work together towards a common goal, we can make a difference. 

Above all we give thanks to God, who alone is worthy of all praise.

Sincerely,

The C4C Executive Committee