Well-known local tribes find themselves on opposing sides when it comes to the hotly debated Proposition 27, up for a vote this fall.
The proposal, backed by seven sports betting companies, would allow online digital betting in the state. Californians are already familiar with the debate from all the competing TV ads starring tribal leaders during his summer.
One of the few California tribes to support Proposition 27 is Lemoore’s Tachi Yokut Tribe, who have a large casino at their rancheria – the Palace in Kings County.
“Prop. 27 will provide us with economic opportunities to strengthen our tribe’s future for generations to come and protect the tribe’s sovereignty,” stated Leo Sisco, chairman of Santa Rosa Rancheria’s Tachi Yokut Tribe, in a press release. “And it is the only effort that will raise hundreds of millions of dollars each year to help solve homelessness and fight mental health in California. The tribe has relied on gaming to lift its members out of poverty since 1983.”
Tribes that support the measure can expect funding from some of the out-of-state companies to promote sports betting through the local brand, bringing net profit to the tribe. If it goes, that is.
But more than 50 Native American tribes across the state strongly oppose Prop. 27, saying it would disrupt their decades-old casino operations.
Bet on their new casino
These include opponents of Prop. 27 such as the Tule tribe in Tulare country, who fear the measure would drive out business from Indian casinos and pose a threat to their independence.
“The Tribe is a ‘No to Prop 27,'” said Neil Peyron, Chair of the Tule River Tribal Council. The tribe is about to open its new 40-acre casino near Porterville, which will employ 750 people when it opens in December.
The new facility will have 1,750 slot machines – up from 1,200 at their current outlying casino 12 miles east of town. Their new Tulare County casino will also feature a 2,000-seat concert hall and a 700-seat restaurant, a massive investment for the tribe as they face an uncertain future. A new hotel will follow.
Opponents claim foreign companies drafted a ballot measure to legalize online sports betting in California – but only on their terms. They say that 90% of sports betting profits are shipped out of California.
0% of winnings from sports bets are sent
How’s the debate going? A recent poll found that 58% of respondents would vote no on Prop. 27, compared to 33% voting yes.
But the Pro-27 campaign scoffs.
“It’s not worth the paper it’s printed on. Our own poll shows that Californians support Prop. 27 and create lasting solutions to homelessness and mental health care by taxing and regulating online sports betting. The opposition wouldn’t spend $100 million if they weren’t concerned our measure would pass. Look at their actions, not their press releases.”
Prop. 27, the California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act, will allocate hundreds of millions of dollars each year to address California’s homelessness and mental health crises through the licensing, regulation and taxation of online sports betting, proponents say.
Another poll conducted in April by David Binder Research found that 59% of Californians would support the initiative and that the measure retains a large lead even after simulating multiple sports betting measures on the ballot and a well-funded opposition campaign.
Just to confuse you even more, another similar measure, Proposition 26, promotes in-person sports betting at California tribal casinos and a select number of California horse racing venues.
Two coalitions of tribes opposed to Prop. 27 with well-known Central California names such as Table Mountain, North Fork Rancheria, Picayune Rancheria and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians on the Central Coast and the Tule Tribe. Numerous groups within the Democratic Party are also in the “No” coalitions, including the Democratic Central Committees of Kings and Tulare Counties.
On the local support page is Miguel Perez, executive director of the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance, which supports the Tachi Yokut campaign. Supporters of the measure say a $100 million royalty would fund affordable housing for the homeless, mental health services and financial assistance to tribes.
The “Yes” campaign says the measure is reassuring
• No sports bet can be made without the participation of California Tribes. Any online platform wishing to participate in the California market must first partner with a California tribe.
• All tribes benefit. A portion of all sports betting revenue is shared among the tribes that choose not to participate in the online sports betting marketplace. Using California state tax estimates, this measure would double the revenue non-gaming tribes receive from gambling in California.
• Each tribe can also choose to operate their own sports betting platform without affiliates and these tribes pay a significantly lower license fee.
CalFire and PG&E report less burned area
Wildfires in California burned 181,252 acres in the state as of Aug. 8, compared to nearly 1.4 million acres at this time last year. The five-year average for the same period is 623,000 acres, says CalFire.
For PG&E, which has been plagued by utility-driven wildfires and their financial impact in recent years, PG&E’s California Public Utility Commission has reported zero ignitions of at least 100 acres in high fire risk areas in 2022 to date. Fires of this size account for a small percentage of ignitions, but account for more than 90% of the acres burned and more in their catchment area.
The carrier wing returns to NAS Lemoore
Aviation squadrons, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), returned home this week, marking the end of a seven-month deployment to the 3rd .and US 7th Fleet operations.
These include Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 14, VFA-41 and VFA-151, which returned to Naval Air Station Lemoore on Tuesday.
Nut exports increase
California agricultural exports rose 15.5% in June from $3.416 billion to $3.941 billion as overseas shipments of almonds, pistachios and walnuts — three of the state’s top five agricultural exports — all surged. Overseas shipments of groceries and related products grew 14.2%, rising to US$3.301 billion from US$2.890 billion.
Beef exports up by a third
U.S. beef exports remained at a blistering pace in June, surpassing $1 billion for the fifth time this year (after hitting $1 billion twice in 2021), according to data released by the USDA. US pork exports in June fell short of last year’s large totals, while lamb exports continued to trend higher.
Beef exports in June totaled 130,638 tonnes, down slightly from the record volume reported in May, but up 16% yoy and the fourth-biggest on record. Export value for June was $1.05 billion, also slightly below May’s record but up 31% year-on-year. In the first half of 2022, beef exports grew 6% year-on-year to 743,904 tons worth $6.19 billion (up 33%).
Western Growers honor John Harris
Local Farm Manager John Harris will be honored by Western Growers at an Award of Honor dinner gala at the Western Growers 2022 Annual Meeting November 2-5 in Las Vegas.
Harris was born into a farming family whose operations in California dated back more than a century. He received his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Production from the University of California, Davis, and then served in the US Army for two years.
In addition to his tenure as CEO and sole shareholder of Harris Farms and his 11 years on the Western Growers board of directors, Harris has served five terms as President of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association. The Harris Farms Thoroughbred Division produced California Chrome, winner of the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. In 2014 he was named Farmer of the Year by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
Speculators are exiting the commodity markets
The Wall Street Journal reports: “An exodus of hedge funds and other speculators from commodity markets has compounded the fall in the price of wheat, corn, soybeans and other staples.
It’s a sharp reversal from earlier this year when money managers, worried about inflation and war-related supply problems, helped push commodity prices higher by betting on rising prices in the futures markets. Wheat and soybeans set price records earlier this year and corn is at an all-time high, but since then speculators have exited agricultural markets, taking profits, buying into inflationary deals and bracing for a recession.”
Prices of important dairy products are falling
Western United Dairymen reports that prices for cheddar cheese and powdered milk, key dairy commodities, are falling this summer after peaking earlier this year. Cheddar prices peaked at $2.40 a pound in May but are now down to $1.80 and NDM has fallen from $1.90 to nearly $1.40 after other soft commodities fell.
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