Schaghticokes Get Recognized, Shays: Disappointed
By Brian Dolan
WASHINGTON -Rep. Christopher Shays, (R-4), has introduced legislation that would make it harder for the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation to build a casino. His move comes as the Bureau of Indian Affairs officially recognized the Schaghticokes of Fairfield County as an Indian tribe, which may enable them to build a casino in Connecticut .
“We have to respect the process, but I hope the state uses all resources necessary to seek to overturn the decision,” Shays said in a statement after the bureau acted Thursday. “This recognition may enable the Schaghticokes to build a casino, which I believe will be very detrimental to the state.”
“The gaming industry in the east is a billion-dollar industry. . It is a financial license to print money,” Shays said in an interview. Casinos bring a tremendous amount of traffic and congestion to a community.”
Shays contended that local residents should have a say, through state legislatures, over whether to host casinos. “The bottom line is citizens should have the final word on casino expansion in their communities,” he said.
The Schaghticoke Tribal Nation has more than 300 members and is located near Kent , on a reservation established by the Colony of Connecticut in 1737. The Schaghticokes are considering building a casino, and possible sites include Danbury .
Federally recognized tribes need to obtain the approval of their state’s governor to begin casino construction. Shays and Rep. Frank Wolf, (R-VA), introduced legislation Wednesday that would also require state legislative approval for building new Indian casinos.
“I understand this is an important issue to Mr. Shays’ district because there are many groups trying to get recognition as tribes there,” said Charles Bunnell, chief of governmental affairs of the Mohegan tribe. “I just don’t understand why we are continually focusing on the Indian community. This piece of legislation seems like an attempt to undermine the special relationship the government has with Indian communities.”
The proposed Tribal and Local Community Relationship Improvement Act would also direct the President to create a committee that would establish requirements for federal regulation of Indian gaming.
“We already have a committee that reports to Congress with thoughts on regulations for Indian gaming,” Bunnell said. “It’s called the National Indian Gaming Commission.”
Shays said he agrees the commission has a similar mission but that it fails to carry it out.
“The Gaming Commission has very little oversight and is poorly funded,” Shays said. “It also doesn’t report to the local communities, it reports to Indians.”
Jeff Benedict, president of the Connecticut Alliance against Casino Expansion, welcomed Shays’ new legislation.
“There is no question that there is a need for the empowerment of local municipalities and state governments to have a greater say in whether they will become host sites for casinos,” Benedict said. “This legislation is welcome news for a state that has been on the wrong end of federal recognition for a decade.”
