Six tribes make payments to state

Debra Gruszecki – The Desert Sun

Six California Indian tribes who are members of the California Tribal Business Alliance sent $8million in quarterly payments to the state today.

The latest quarterly payments by the tribes, five of which signed amended Indian gaming compacts, brings total payments to the state to more than $134 million since the compacts took effect last September, Alliance executive director Alison Harvey wrote in a press release.

Under the amended compacts, Harvey said the tribes pay into three accounts - the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for tribes with small or no casinos, the state's General Fund, and a bond fund to repay the General Fund debt to special transportation accounts.

The tribes' General Fund payments, called Additional Device Fees, are based on how many slot machines they have added since the compacts took effect.

In total, for the third quarter of 2005, Harvey wrote that the alliance tribes paid $2,064,029 to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, $5,998,900 to the General Fund and $25,202,500 to the bond fund.

Amended compacts, in effect until 2030, are with the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians, the United Auburn Indian Community and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.