Analysis of ad against Proposition 5, American Indian gambling initiative

Details of a television commercial opposing Proposition 5, the November ballot initiative legalizing American Indian gambling.

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CAMPAIGN NAME: Coalition Against Unregulated Gambling.

CAMPAIGN WEB SITE: www.bad4cal.org.

TITLE: "Internet Mom"

LENGTH: 30 seconds

CREATED BY: Goddard Claussen

AIRING: Widely in state.

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SCRIPT: (Woman) "I'd like to help California Indians. But when I checked into this casino initiative I learned we could end up with over 100 casinos in California. Casinos that would be exempt from local zoning laws and California environmental regulations. They could be built without our approval and with no concern for our communities and our families. That's why so many Californians are opposed. I want to help California Indians, but I'm voting no on Proposition 5."

DOMINANT IMAGES: A woman teaching elementary school children helps students with their classwork. She drives home with her children, who scamper into the house. The woman logs onto the Internet web site for the Coalition Against Unregulated Gambling. The computer screen shows a rotating "No on 5" neon sign and a map of California glowing with sites of proposed or existing Indian casinos. The address of the web site is displayed. The woman talks into the camera while her children play catch in the backyard behind her.

ANALYSIS: The ad says Proposition 5 could bring 100 new casinos to the state. There are currently about 40 American Indian casinos in California out of 112 reservations where casinos could conceivably be built if Proposition 5 is approved. But many of those are in out-of-the-way spots impractical for casinos. About 40 additional tribes have petitioned the federal government for tribal status - a long, arduous process with uncertain prospects.

The ad says casinos would be exempt from local zoning laws and state environmental regulations. Tribal land is exempt from local and state laws but falls under federal environmental regulations.

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