The Beaver State is home to a uniquely resilient population with a diverse geography from the mountains to the coast, and economic sectors ranging from tech, manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare. Located on the far coast away from Washington D.C. (and, ideally, its special interests), Oregon also has long-standing, respected traditions rooted in local values.
When I grew up in Oregon, the values of self-reliance and sufficiency were ingrained in me, as was the right for decisions that impact Oregon to be made by Oregonians, not bureaucrats in D.C. with a personal agenda to advance. Notably, when the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was enacted in 1988, the state of Oregon respected tribal sovereignty and the right for Oregon tribes to establish a casino on reservation land while balancing it with a “One Casino per Tribe on Reservation Land” policy.
This policy worked for decades and was supported by government leaders, and Oregonians overwhelmingly supported it on the ballot more than once.
Unfortunately, all of this was upended when President Joe Biden succumbed to special interest peddling in his final weeks in office and greenlit one tribe’s opening of a second casino off-reservation in Medford, Ore.
This misguided decision threatens the existing equilibrium with numerous unintended consequences. Now, it is up to President Donald Trump and his Department of the Interior to take swift action to block this new casino, before local economies are damaged, and the balance of tribal relations is upended.
Biden’s last-minute move was a reversal of an astute decision that Trump made during his first term—which, itself, was a reversal of a decision by President Barack Obama that paved the path for the Coquille Tribe to open and operate a casino on a commercial property they purchased in Medford.
The issue? The Coquille Tribe already operates an existing casino on their reservation. Moreover, the Medford casino, which is opposed by other local and regional tribes, is located around 150 miles from its reservation lands. The Biden administration’s late-stage approval not only disregarded the history of tribal homelands, but it also allowed an unnecessary exemption that could cause a cascading effect nationwide wherein politically motivated exemptions expand tribal gaming in areas ill-equipped to handle a casino.
The Coquille Tribe should have the opportunity to develop another revenue stream on this land in Medford; however, a casino there would do more harm than good.
The Coquille Tribe’s casino is not the type of development that Medford residents need. As the area’s first urban casino, it certainly won’t help with homelessness or addiction, a growing concern for locals. The development of a large-scale gaming center also does nothing to fix societal issues including open drug use, public drinking and urination.
Moreover, the development would hurt local businesses struggling to turn a profit. After all, a mom-and-pop diner will have a hard time competing with gambling-funded $5.99 special rib night at the casino down the street.
Interior should step in to stop this casino for all of these reasons but also because it is fundamentally unfair. On a larger scale, granting one-off exemptions like this one sets a terrible precedent for the rule of law and the balance of state and tribal power nationwide.
Thankfully, President Trump now has a chance to make this right.
The Trump administration has already made strides toward restoring these values with a comparable situation in California. The reconsideration of the Scotts Valley decision that granted gaming eligibility for a plot of land in Vallejo, Calif. bodes well for the Coquille counterpart.
Reexamining or rescinding the gaming eligibility for the Medford land is a logical next step for the administration. Doing so would easily restore fairness, protect autonomy of local law, and promote the welfare of Medford’s citizens.
Oregon’s U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz—whose district includes Medford—is also on the right side of this issue. He has been outspoken about how the Coquille Tribe should respect the status quo. Rep. Bentz also highlighted the potential waterfall effect of the new casino, noting that “… this decision has opened the door to something other than that and we’ll see how this plays out.”
Bentz and others have made a point to stand up for equality for all tribes and for the sovereignty of existing state policy. Former President Biden failed to prioritize fairness and equity—values Democrats claim to stand up for. President Trump should put politics aside and make a stand for the rule of law by rescinding gaming eligibility for the Coquille trust of land in Medford. In doing so, he will not only prioritize Medford’s citizens and small businesses over political favors but will also restore fairness to the tribal gaming policy landscape nationwide.
Nansen Malin is a business owner, an entrepreneur and an internet personality. She lives in Seaview, Washington.
This article was originally published at www.thecentersquare.com
