Oneida poll shows support for extended compact Republican legislators said their opposition is based on perpetuity and possible expansion By Christopher Clough News-Chronicle More people in Northeast Wisconsin, although not a majority, said extending Indian gaming compacts in exchange for higher payments is a better way to help the state out of its $3.2 billion budget deficit than cutting services. That was one of several results of a survey the Oneida Tribe of Indians commissioned to support its views on the controversial, tentatively-agreed-on compact it negotiated with Gov. Jim Doyle. "They asked us to look at public attitudes," said Gene Ulm, partner in Public Opinion Strategies, an Alexandria, Va., firm the Oneidas contracted for the survey. "First and foremost, the issues people are concerned about in their lives; that sets the tone for what's going on. Then perspective, what people think of the tribes and gaming; and finally, attitudes toward the proposed compact." Area legislators received the survey results from the tribe Monday morning, before the legislators were taken on a tour of day cares, schools, elder homes and other human service facilities the Oneida built largely with gaming revenues. The results were made public Monday afternoon, before an "Oneida Means Business" meeting of the tribe and its business partners. But local Republicans legislators said the results are questionable, and their concern is with the perpetuity of the compact. A similar compact Doyle signed with the Potowatomi Indian Tribe is the subject of a lawsuit brought by the Republicans challenging its constitutionality. "If I pay $100,000 for a poll," said Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Ashwaubenon, "the results better match what I want to hear." Among other things, the proposed compact asks for the tribe to pay four to five times the amount it pays annually under the current compact ($4.85 million) with no expiration date to the compact. It would open the possibility of expanded gaming, including the addition of roulette and craps. Ulm said one noteworthy result is that the 600 people surveyed have a favorable opinion of Oneida gaming by a 51-36 percent ratio. He said similar surveys show Indian gaming has higher approval ratings than private gaming, such as in Las Vegas. "People in this area are very familiar with the Oneida Nation and its activities," Ulm said. "They see the greater good (from gaming). They see the tribe put those dollars to good use, how it's their economic engine. It's not just a profit machine. People distinguish the difference between Indian and non-Indian, private gaming. They look at the tribal dollars as a contribution to the economy paid by someone other than themselves." Other results showed 71 percent believe Oneida gaming has helped develop businesses and create jobs throughout the area; and 39 percent said they preferred extended compacts with higher payments to help solve the state's budget problems, compared to 36 percent favoring cut services and 9 percent for raising taxes. Seventeen percent didn't know or refused to respond. Another question dealt with the lawsuit against Doyle. Fifty-two percent either strongly or somewhat opposed the suit, while 34 percent strongly or somewhat support it. Among people who called themselves Republicans who responded, 50 percent opposed the suit. "Voters see (the suit) as a partisan bickering process that has little to do with them," Ulm said. "They want to see taxes cut, services maintained. Republicans are talking lawsuit, but the most anti-lawsuit people in Wisconsin are Republicans." Area Republican legislators said they support what the tribe is doing with its money for itself and neighboring communities. But they said they needed to know more details of the compact before they could support it. "I think the goal of everyone here in Northeast Wisconsin is to keep the Oneida Nation a large part of the community," Montgomery said. "But the way the compact was presented to us, in that it asked us to approve an agreement that was forever with no details ... we can't do that until we get some details. Once we get that behind us, I could see us moving quickly." Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Allouez, said a recent poll conducted by a different firm showed opposite results. He said the POS poll didn't address potential gaming expansion. "It essentially shows people support what's going on," he said. "But things change when you talk about expanding gambling. I don't think anybody wants to affect 3,200 jobs (the number of Oneida gaming employees), but for me, this is about the expansion of gambling."