Tribe's Gambling Payments Decline

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Tuesday distributed more than $3.1 million in its semi-annual distribution of gaming revenue to local governments in mid-Michigan – an amount down 16.5 percent from last November.

“This is the lowest distribution we have made in 12 years,” said Tribal spokesman Joe Sowmick. He noted the revenue came during a season of high gasoline prices and general economic uncertainty.

“The gaming operation is not immune from that,” Sowmick said.

Under terms of a 1993 federal consent order, the Tribe is required to send 2 percent of its net win from electronic gaming to local units of government. Under the terms of the court order, the Tribal Council alone determines which units of government get money, and how much.

For the complete story, please see Mark Ranzenberger, Tribal disbursement to governments drops substantially, Morning Sun, November 25, 2008.