- Monday, December 11, 2006

OUR VIEW. Time for state, Nation to agree

The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken by not speaking in its refusal to hear a case regarding the legality of the Oneida Nation's gaming compact with New York state. And so the complexities in this bitter dispute between governments continue to mount.

Gov. George Pataki has failed miserably in finding a solution, and the onus now is on Eliot Spitzer. Spitzer's legal background could be an asset in helping the state and Nation come to terms. On Thursday, Congressman-elect Michael Arcuri told the O-D editorial board he'll try to revive negotiations. Although he's not sure how he'll do that, he'll make it a top priority.

Here's the situation: The state Supreme Court initially ruled that the 1993 gaming compact between Turning Stone and then-Gov. Mario Cuomo was invalid because it had not been approved by the Legislature. That decision was upheld by the state Appellate Division and the Court of Appeals. The Oneidas' next- and final- appeal was to the U.S. Supreme Court. Its refusal to hear the case essentially means that the casino is operating illegally and could be closed.

Few people want that to happen. The Nation employs nearly 5,000 people who contribute financially and in many other ways to the region. It's been a salvation for displaced workers, an opportunity for young people desiring to stay in the area, as well as an employer of refugees seeking to establish a new life here. In addition, Turning Stone draws visitors to its casino and showrooms from near and far, many of whom presumably spend dollars elsewhere, further bolstering the local economy.

In reality, the casino is not likely to close. But the uncertainly over the issue, involving everything from uncollected tobacco taxes to the Oneidas' vast land claim, makes it imperative that leaders get together and waste no more time in finding a solution that will benefit all people in Central New York.