CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

http://www.pechanga.net/

Office of the Board of Directors
California Association of Tribal Governments

For Immediate Release: August 8, 2008

Ione Band of Miwok Indians
Karuk Tribe
Contact: Chairman Matt Franklin (209)274-6753
Contact: Hector Garcia (530) 493-1600

California Tribes Announce the Establishment of
the California Association of Tribal Governments

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, August 8, 2008, California Indian tribes announced the establishment of the California Association of Tribal Governments (“CATG”), a non-profit consortium of federally recognized Indian tribal governments in the State of California, chartered to promote mutual cooperation and to represent their common interests with federal, state and local governments. The CATG non-profit corporation is to be chartered under the tribal code of the Hoopa Valley Tribe.

The Honorable Matt Franklin, Chairman of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, stated: "Many California Indian tribal governments, particularly non-gaming tribes, have limited resources, impeding their ability to adequately address their needs as well as their relationships with federal, state and local governments. The success of Indian gaming has diverted attention away from the issues of mutual concern many tribe’s face. Today, California Indian tribes chose to come together and unite to establish the California Association of Tribal Governments. Tomorrow, this collective of California Indian tribal governments will combine its resources to improve the future of all107 California Indian tribal governments and individual Native Americans, and to work towards the establishment of better relations with the federal, state, local and other tribal governments.”

The Honorable Manuel Hamilton, Vice Chair of the Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians, stated: “The Association’s mission will be to promote an understanding of sovereignty, self-determination and the economic needs of tribal governments in a manner that is consistent with our common bonds of culture, history, trade and association among all California tribes, and to amplify the voices of all California tribal governments and individual Native Americans, so we can be heard by federal, state and local governments.”

The Honorable Robert Pinto Sr., Chairman of the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, stated: “The Association will help make the case for legislative and policy changes that are needed to overcome the inequities and disadvantages Tribal Governments face that diminish opportunities for non-gaming economic development.”

The CATG’s first initiative will be to continue to work towards the protection of the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (“RSTF”), to ensure the funds continue to be distributed to California’s non-gaming tribes, as promised by Proposition 1A (State Constitutional Amendment SCA10) and the 1999 tribal-state gaming compacts.

The first official meeting of the CATG is scheduled to occur in Sacramento, California on September 9, 2008. The location is to be determined. The Board of Directors will be elected, and officers selected from among the Board. For more information, contact Chairman Franklin, Ione Band of Miwok Indians, at (209) 274-6753, or Hector Garcia, Karuk Tribe, at (530) 493-1600.

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

Mission Statement:
"Promote an understanding of sovereignty, self-determination and the economic needs of tribal governments, in a manner that is consistent with our common bonds of culture, history, trade and association among all California tribes, and to amplify the voices of all California tribal governments so we can be heard by federal, state and local governments."

Vision Statement:
“Strengthen tribal government relations with federal, state, local and other tribal governments, defend inherent sovereign powers, protect individual Native American and tribal government reserved rights, and promote tribal economic and land resources as the basis for the well-being of sovereign tribal governments and their citizens.”

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