In a 4-1 vote, the Siskiyou County, California Board of Supervisors recently approved a resolution to place on the November ballot the question, “Do you support the establishment of the Karuk Tribe’s proposed casino in Yreka, California?” The vote will be an advisory measure only, but supporters said the outcome could be used in the county’s negotiations with the tribe regarding the casino.
Opponents of the casino said the county budget would be affected by controlling increased traffic and crime. They also raised the long-running question of whether the land actually belongs to the Shasta Tribe. That tribe is not federally recognized but claims ownership of the land, which, it said, would prohibit the Karuk Tribe from building a casino there.
District 5 Supervisor Marcia Armstrong said the county board of supervisors does not have the authority to approve or deny the casino due to tribal sovereignty and the role of the federal government.
