The debate is once again heating up surrounding construction of a new Native American casino. The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians plans to put the casino off of its reservation, west of Highway 99 at Avenue 17. That's just outside the Madera city limits.
Not everyone supports the idea, saying it will hurt local businesses and congest traffic.
A meeting was held Sunday at the Valley West Christian Center in Madera.
The federal government has approved the Mono Indian proposal but it still needs Governor Jerry Brown's consent, so folks are signing letters and sending them to the governor, urging him to take a stance against the casino.
Opponents say building the facility would set a terrible precedent by opening the flood gates for more off-reservation casinos.
It would encourage tribes to shop locations around the state and setup anywhere they could make the biggest bucks.
A similar proposition is taking place north of Sacramento.
Stand Up for California, an organization focused on all gambling issues, says this goes against Prop 1-A, which voters passed in 2000 to allow tribal gaming only on Indian lands.
Cheryl Schmit with Stand Up For California said, "Tribes promised and gave their word. We changed our Constitution to provide gaming for Indians, so this proposal by the North Fork is in direct conflict to that promise."
The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians believes it can boost the economy by making agreements with the county and city to provide money for law enforcement, fire and road improvements. At one point, the casino was expected to bring in $25 million a year in tax revenue to the state. However, a recent court ruling said it's illegal to tax tribes, so it's unclear how much the state would benefit from another casino.
Mary-Ann McGovran with North Fork Mono Rancheria said, "It's about jobs to the community and everybody knows that here in Madera. We have strong local support; we have over 5,000 individual support forms signed by Madera County residents."
