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Casino Political Issues Strong in Oregon
Oregon - The sponsors of the proposed first non-tribally run casino aimed for east Multnomah County abandoned their efforts to include the casino issue on the upcoming November ballot. They have instead vowed to push for the same cause in the 2008 elections.
The sponsors, investment adviser Bruce Studer and attorney Matthew Rossman, expressed their view that there is not enough time before a July 7 deadline to gather enough valid signatures to qualify the initiatives for the Nov. 7 ballot. This decision came after a judge finally gave them the green light to start their signature gathering campaign, but only giving them 2 weeks to complete the task.
The men said they that they intend to renew the casino package for the November 2008 general election in the next few weeks.
The withdrawal of the casino initiatives means that there will be no gambling-related ballot measures on this year's ballot. But gambling may still be a popular theme in the gubernatorial campaign.
On the primary campaigns, the tribe running the state's largest casino west of Salem, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, spent close to $1 million for television commercials that attacked Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski. The ads in turn promotes Republican Ron Saxton. The two politicians will go head-to-head in the fall elections.
Kulongoski supports while Saxton opposes a rival tribe proposal to open a competing off-reservation casino in Cascade Locks, a location closer to Portland than Grand Ronde's Spirit Mountain casino. Grande Grand Ronde leaders have not decided yet whether to launch a similar anti-Kulongoski, pro-Saxton advertising media campaign in the fall.
Another withdrawn initiative would have placed that one authorized casino at the now-closed Multnomah Greyhound Park in Wood Village. Under a version of the initiative, the Lottery Commission would have regulatory powers over the casino. Under a different version, a new and separate Gaming Commission would be established to oversee the casino's operations.
Initiatives that would involve amendment to the state constitution need 100,840 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Initiatives that would require changes in the state law would require 75,630 valid signatures.
Consultant for Studer and Rossman Roger Gray, said in a statement that the two-year delay to the casino initiative could strengthen the case for a casino in Multnomah County. He states further that by 2007, the Cowlitz tribe may already break ground for its proposed casino north of Vancouver in La Center, a move that threatens to draw Oregon gambling dollars across the Columbia River. He also said that the large voter turnout that can be expected for the 2008 presidential election could boost the initiative's chances of approval.