Santa Barbara was sold down the river.
On Tuesday, August 25, with no advance warning, Governor Brown signed a 25-year gaming compact crafted over several years in closed-door negotiations with the Santa Ynez Chumash tribe. Two days later, the county government learned this in a press release announcing a 300-page (more or less) compact was signed.
One day later, August 28, the county was informed that on the following Tuesday the compact would be reviewed by State Senate and Assembly committees. The county, allowed two minutes to comment, stated in part, “the County Board of Supervisors has not had an opportunity to fully review, analyze, or consider taking a formal position.” In a rush to vote, the next day, State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson managed the approval of the bill on the Senate floor.