I write this in response to the political commentary ("Uninformed vote would betray trust," Aug. 15) prepared by my colleague on the San Jacinto City Council, Steve Di Memmo, regarding his views of the Soboba Band's request to expand its reservation in order to relocate its gaming operation and entertainment complex into a residential community in San Jacinto.

As Di Memmo stated in his commentary, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has prepared a draft environmental impact statement on behalf of the Soboba Band and did hold a scoping meeting on Aug. 5 to solicit input from the community. Also on Aug. 5, the council held a special meeting to review and approve a presentation of the city's concerns regarding the environmental review.

First of all, I take exception to Di Memmo's claim that the city's concerns about the expansion of the reservation are based on "capricious whims." He would have you believe that it is a capricious whim to be concerned about public safety and crime, based on evidence from law enforcement. From 2004 through 2008 Riverside County sheriff's calls for service increased by more than 300 percent. More than 60 percent of these calls and nearly 58 percent of reservation crime were related to the casino. In addition, over the last eight years the sheriff responded to 15 calls for service for homicides and removed more than 70 banned weapons, including military-style assault rifles. It is not a capricious whim to want to protect the citizens of San Jacinto from such criminal activity.

Di Memmo also suggests that to be concerned about the loss of peace and tranquility for more than 1,000 residents of this city is a capricious whim. The proposed casino and entertainment complex would be located adjacent to the Soboba Springs Mobile Home Park and within one-fourth of a mile of a residential community on Soboba Road. Residents of those neighborhoods would have to contend with a substantial increase in traffic, as more than 22,000 cars a day are projected to visit the casino. In addition, a 4,000-seat outdoor arena is proposed within 300 feet of 150 existing homes. The council has repeatedly heard from the residents in those neighborhoods, who are experiencing disruptions to their way of living, and expect (quite naturally, I think) more disruptions from the proposed project.

Finally, Di Memmo contends that the concerns about lost property tax revenue and the creation of jurisdictional islands are capricious whims.

The proposed casino expansion will remove about 300 acres of land from the city's tax rolls. The proposed expansion will also create three jurisdictional islands of city land that will be completely surrounded by reservation lands. In order to serve those residents, nonemergency personnel and emergency vehicles would have to cross through reservation lands first. The Soboba Band has restricted such movements on existing reservation lands. Once again, expressing concern about the city's ability to serve existing city residents is not a capricious whim. That is the council's duty.

The facts above are not in dispute. I encourage Di Memmo to take stock of the facts and do whatever it takes to protect the citizens he was elected to represent.

Dale Stubblefield is the mayor of San Jacinto.