We woke up and there it was, the Chumash Highway.
A representative of the tribe said about the clandestine renaming of Highway 154, “The Chumash Highway represents the respect and recognition that members of the California Legislature have for Native Americans.”
Absent was the respect or recognition that an open process would have provided the local citizenry. In fact, the whole process of introducing and voting on the legislation occurred in Sacramento without any notice to Santa Barbara County officials or any consultation with the community. It was considered a sneaky political maneuver, and public outcry was fierce.
A mock tombstone appeared on the newly anointed highway stating, “RIP Community’s Voice — Sept. 2007 — Killed on the Chumash Buy-Way by government recklessly driving under the influence of power and money.”
The community saw those back-room dealings between tribal leaders and government as not just a means to the renaming of a highway, but as a move to pave the way for more expansion, and to circumvent locals who had succeeded with their stop-Fess campaign when Fess Parker and tribal leaders originally pursued a Camp 4 development in 2004.
Today, the tribe owns Camp 4’s 1,400 acres and, more importantly, their leadership has stated that it deserves fee-to-trust designation.  If that happens, we can forget about all the protections the Community Plan provides, and any tax revenue contributing to the public good. Also, local business can forget shared tourism, because in a resort the size of Solvang, with an unfair competitive edge sans tax, tourists who come to Casino Town will stay in Casino Town.
Most of us don’t want to go down the road of unrestricted growth, increased gambling and countless unforeseen changes to our beautifully rural Santa Ynez Valley. So why, with so much at stake, are we at such risk for this nightmare scenario?
Because tribal government money and influence are everywhere.
Our county supervisor, Doreen Farr, is on the short list of politicians who have not taken money from the tribe. For those who have, we need to be sure they are putting our interests first, and not allowing legislation that affects us greatly to pass behind our backs.
A bill recently passed in Sacramento allows the tribal government to become a voting member of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. Incremental inroads, like this one, should not be overlooked, but should be seen in a broader, historical context.
As for the present, a recent newspaper article quoted Vincent Armenta as responding to residents about why the tribe needed to make the Camp 4 land part of the reservation, rather than seek county approval like any other developer.
“We’re not a developer,” Armenta said. “We’re a sovereign government. Whether they understand it, whether they want to see it, that’s a fact.”
Does that sound like the respect and recognition we deserve as residents of this Valley? Are we awake yet?
 
Donna Will is a resident of Solvang.