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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1999)
CHASTA E UMPQUA MOLALLA KALAPUYA ROGUE RIVER 78 .06 S66 March 15, 1999 A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe MARCH 15, 1999 Tote mDODQ Grand Ronde joins other Oregon tribes in showing legislators that gaming is a necessary step for other economic development By Oscar Johnson Officials from many of Oregon's federally recog nized tribes schooled Or egon senators on the role of Indian gaming in the overall economic de velopment of Indian Country, at the state capitol earlier this month. Representatives from the Grand Ronde, Umatilla, Warm Springs, Klamath, Siletz, Coquille, Cow Creek and Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw tribes were responding to an invitation from Oregon's Senate Committee on Trade and Economic Development. The March 2 hearing came on the heels of a 1998 state legislative ses sion which saw dozens of bills aimed at restricting or ending state sanc tioned gambling all together. , Combined with the national trend against state tax-exempt Indian gaming, this caused many tribes to come prepared for the worse. However, the committee was cor dial and supportive of tribal efforts to use casinos as a leg up from his toric poverty. "Since we are the statewide com mittee on economic development, we thought we would find out what has been going on since (tribes) have been suffering for so long," Commit tee Chair, Sen. John Lim (R-Gresh-am) later said. An opening statement given by Grand Ronde Intergovernmental Affairs lobbyist, Justin Martin, set the tone for the tribal testimonies that followed. Martin stressed that each tribe has its own unique culture and traditions but a similar history and experience. "Please understand that we do have similar problems with regard to poverty and unemployment. We look to gaming as a way to address it - V f . , . J 1 - i mir mm. T ' ?" ' " """"""""""" I I I r i i"7' (Mf - - ' ' I. . Waived on! 83-16-99 ; H- IO, 0 : --dlSiokt US''1 Wj ...v ipa If '- . 1 1 I n i - " 'm. t'K, f ' 'v ' ' V Stacy Schuster, 26, of Willamina, is one of more than 1,200 employed at Spirit Mountain Casino. Schuster has worked at Spirit Mountain Outfitters since December. this," he told the senators. "We are trying to make a difference for our tribal memberships and hence the state of Oregon and for the country." The two hours of testimony showed that while tribes are at various stages of economic growth, gaming is what many look to for the initial capital needed to develop other modes of business and infrastructure. Grand Ronde's retail and housing developments; Warm Springs' hydro project and booming tourism ven ture; and the Umatilla's successful hotel, golf course and cultural mu seum were highlighted as ways tribes use casino profits to broaden business opportunities. Many also pointed out that Oregon's tribes are not the only ones who benefit from Indian gaming. continued on page 3 Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 Address Service Requested FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 F'ivj.'w; -.h-iim tut:- U' Sfwc: x Cdlu Knight L. x erne v.. DavCI ETucjea-MKr PR 0rMO3 IMhI.. .1.1. .Ill,, mil, I,,, ( Members to vote on blood quantum enrollment issues The Tribe has recently had a rapid increase in the number of new enrollees and applicants for enrollment. Tribal membership has grown from 862 members in 1983 to 4,333 members today. In the last two years tribal membership has grown by an average of 342 new mem bers per year and we have added 217 new members so far in 1999. We anticipate that the number of new applications for enrollment will continue to increase. Unfor tunately, some of these future en rollees and new applicants for en rollment will have no recent an cestors on the Tribal Rolls and have little or no previous contact with the Tribal Community. Enrollment of members with no social, cultural, or economic ties to the Tribe serves to erode the Tribe's identity. A rapidly expanding membership also places a signifi cant burden on the Tribe's finan cial resources and reduces the ser vices that may be provided to mem bers with close ties to the Tribe. In recent years, many successful rr" f . uv Letter from the Tribal Council Chair, Kathryn Harrison tribes have experienced similar increases in tribal membership, attracting new members who have little or no tribal ties. These tribes have responded by tighten ing their enrollment requirements in an attempt to preserve tribal identity and preserve tribal re sources for members with ties to the tribe. In fact, a review of en rollment requirements at other tribes found that our enrollment requirements are less restrictive than most. To help preserve Tribal identity and better serve Tribal members, the Tribal Council has proposed that the enrollment requirements under the Constitution be tight ened. By Resolution, the Council continued on page 6
