Governor Pataki Introduces Land Claims Bill

ALBANY, New York – As reported by the New York Times-Union: "Gov. George Pataki introduced a bill Thursday to end most American Indian land claims against the state and allow five tribal casinos in the Catskills, but the legislation isn't likely to move quickly in the state Assembly.

"Pataki called the settlement plan a huge opportunity to remove a cloud over some 300,000 acres of land that American Indian plaintiffs claim was illegally taken 200 years ago.

"'The resolution of these land claims would effectively end decades of unrest and uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of property owners and taxpayers from the Finger Lakes, central and northern New York regions, extinguish billions of dollars in potential liability to the state and instead, generate billions of dollars and create tens of thousands of new jobs for New York's economy,' Pataki said.

"…The legislation would end five land claims against the state and authorize Catskills casinos for the Oneida of Wisconsin; the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, also of Wisconsin; the Cayuga Nation of New York; the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in northern New York; and the Seneca-Cayuga of Oklahoma.

"The deal would create American Indian land in the Catskills, presumably in Sullivan County, so that the tribes could build large casinos and share slot machine revenues with the state. The state's cut is expected to be more than $1 billion a year…"