I think we need to find a way to work with the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and find a way to meet in the middle on their new casino plans. They should be able to build here. This tribe wanted to build out on Winchester Road and Domenigoni Parkway and decided the infrastructure costs to be imposed by the county were too high.

If we did not want Indian gaming in California, then we should not have passed the initiative allowing it back in 1998. That measure had broad support that included many long time non-gambling Valley residents. This band of Indians should not be penalized for being born here.

Since we can tolerate the tribe’s Scientologists neighbor to the west, we can certainly have an open mind to the people who have been here the longest. After all, it wasn’t the Scientologists that contributed six figures to our Ramona Pageant this year. It was our Native American Soboba neighbors. So here’s a belated thank-you to Soboba!

MIKE RENO

Hemet