Federal law recognizes the independent sovereignty of California's Indian tribes.
As such, I believe we should treat our tribes with the same respect and deference that we give any foreign government. I oppose the Pala Compact. While the Pala Band of Mission Indians are entitled under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, signed into law by President Reagan, to negotiate a compact with the Governor, federal law provides each tribe that independent right to compact with the state. As such, the governor is acting in bad faith by imposing the terms of the Pala Compact on the other tribes. However, I also have concerns about the provisions of Proposition 5.