Signatures to stop casino expansion submitted, backers say

Backers of signature drives to block casino expansions for four of California's wealthiest gambling tribes declared today that they will submit some 700,000 signatures for each of four proposed ballot referendums - nearly 300,000 signatures more that what is needed to qualify the measures for the Feb. 5 ballot.

Al Lundeen, a spokesman for the coalition seeking to repeal the gambling agreements, said petitions circulated for signatures in 51 of California's 58 counties were to be delivered to county registrars by the close of business Friday. He said signatures collected in seven counties - San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Contra Costa and Alameda - would be submitted Monday, the deadline set by Secretary of State Debra Bowen.

The referendum drives, bankrolled by the Hollywood Park and Bay Meadows horse racing tracks, the UNITE HERE union and the United Auburn and Pala Indian tribes, seek to stop four major Southern California casino tribes from adding a total of up to 17,000 new slot machines. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature approved the casino expansion agreements for the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.

Some 433,971 valid signatures of registered voters are required to qualify each referendum for the ballot. The Southern California tribes are expected to challenge signatures and have been circulating rival petitions to convince voters to rescind their support for the referendums.

Lundeen said he is confident that sufficient valid signatures will remain to qualify the measures. "We've got enough raw numbers now that we should be all right," he said.