From a Tribal government point of view, the most important contribution gaming has afforded us has been to our Tribal members themselves. In a social needs survey commissioned in 1994 by the Tribal government, it was determined that over 50 percent of our members lived at or below the poverty level. Twenty-seven percent of the Tribal families are homeless, living with extended families or other available shelter, and 63 percent of our Tribal families are living in structurally deficient buildings. Vision and dental benefits. Subsidized housing program, home ownership, rental assistance, excessive utility expense, major home repair.
Child care financial assistance so members can return to school or maintain employment.
And we are paying back monies that were collected by Tribal members from the state due to disability. We are paying it back. Without the benefits of gaming on our Reservation, we would have to cease all our social assistance programs, our health insurance, the economic development, and the list goes on and on. As I stated previously, there are members in Palm Springs who live at or below the poverty level. I must relate to you that our other Tribes and their members were unaware of our plight.