Talking about North County Transit District's paratransit bus service, specifically the cost for riders visiting tribal casinos, raised questions like, "Why are taxpayer dollars paying for disabled individuals to go to casinos?"

That's a question that needs answering.

The facts are: Federal law requires equal access without travel restrictions. Anyone objecting to giving disabled individuals the same right to use public transit for work, shopping, medical visits or to take in entertainment, from casinos to football games, will have to change federal laws.

Harrah's Rincon Resort and Casino does not own buses, but we do provide private bus transportation for our guests. The companies with which we contract for the brown Harrah's-branded buses meet all of the American Disabilities Act requirements that 50 percent of the vehicles must have a wheelchair lift. A guest or group requiring special services can call in advance, and our transit coordinators will make sure the bus on their route has a lift. Fleets belonging to other casinos also are ADA compliant and provide specialized services to the disabled.

Tribal casinos in North County underwrite our own transportation services for the majority of our guests ---- not at the taxpayer's expense ---- and less than 1 percent of the 10,000 reported NCTD taxpayer-funded paratransit rides were to tribally owned gaming and entertainment venues. Will we also be debating about whether shopping malls should pay for trips to their shops, or medical offices?

These discussion don't address the real problem. NCTD ---- as all transit agencies in the state ---- is facing deep budget cuts, which is affecting its ability to offer much-needed services.

Lost in the discussion is the fact that not only are tribes in San Diego contributing to NCTD's ability to service the area, but we are doing so in the context of long-term, regional transit planning. And NCTD is benefiting tremendously from this effort.

San Diego County tribal governments formed the Reservation Transportation Authority, the nation’s only intertribal transportation planning agency, and have been working closely with the San Diego Association of Governments to build a government-to-government framework for regional transportation planning. That partnership resulted in the creation of an Interagency Technical Working Group on Tribal Transportation Planning.

This Working Group is a forum for all 17 tribal nations in the region to meet with SANDAG, Caltrans, the county, NCTD, and MTS to discuss transportation issues affecting tribes and how we can work together to improve transportation for the benefit of all. Keep in mind that in the past, most tribal reservations have not had access to public transportation.

The Reservation Transportation Authority, in response to a request by the Working Group, applied for federal transportation funds available only to tribal governments, which has generated more than $800,000 for the past two years. These funds have been used to support an integrated regional planning process, capital improvements and the enhanced NCTD Routes 388 and 389. Note that as governments, tribes are eligible for federal transit funds for specific programs, just as states, cities and counties, which rely heavily on federal transportation allocations.

NCTD activated the Express portion of the 388 route supported by the tribal transit funds in January. The transit project loops Routes 388 and 389, making it an express bus route that runs up and down the I-15. This makes it easier for all rural residents, including residents of Indian reservations and casino employees, to connect to the urban transit system. Our goal was also to relieve traffic congestion and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The improved service level to North County transit riders is a result of in-depth, meaningful discussions between NCTD, other stakeholders and the tribal leadership. This is the cooperative model we suggest for tackling future problems.

This solution was not found by singling out one destination or population, or asking single destination sites to pick up the tab for their consumers. It was through good planning and cooperation between governments and agencies, with a mutual concern for the public transit needs for all of our citizens.

Bo Mazzetti is chairman of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, which owns Harrah's Rincon Resort and Casino.

Posted in Perspective on Sunday, December 27, 2009