Let’s discusses the eminent Layoffs at the Pechanga Resort & Casino and how it will affect the community and the many aspects of running a business.
What is “good business”?
Some aspects of a “good business” are creating a profit that supports… Shareholders, Community, and maintains a labor pool that grows to meet demands.
I would like to argue that the 400 announced for layoff is a significant number. What about the other 200+ that have been terminated “at will” for the slightest mistakes that would have been overlooked just a couple of months ago? I would say that the core reason for this sudden reduction in labor is…
Fact: In July of this year enrolled tribal members had a reduction in monthly percapita. This is the first time since the inception of the casino percapita has dropped. This reduction in percapita has affected the tribe. The loss of $1,000.00/member/month over the age of 18 who receives percapita is reason for alarm. Now instead of clearing $30,000.00+/month/member over 18--July’s percapita reduced to $29,000.00/member.
In turn… This fact outraged the CPP’s who will never get enough. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in the tribal hall at the June/July members meeting to hear the raised voices of CPP’s dismayed at this outrageous turn of events… down economy… loss of percapita…. building… building… less money… What do you mean less money? “WE HAVE TO MAKE CUTS” they cry…. Hoots and howlers rise out of the prison ward in the back of the room where the criminals sit for purpose to intimidate and over talking anyone who opposes their greed. Can you hear the “SIT DOWN”… “BOO”… “GET A LIFE”…
I would even say, given past experience, a few threats were made and Mark Maccaro asked the unruly to “take it outside”…
Answer this Original Pechanga People (OPP)…..
Tell a few more mistruths or outright lies Corrupt Pechanga People (CPP)…
Good Business Decision? Or Greed?
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Pechanga
The Drip "Source of Life"
26 comments:
I saw that the tribe is now at $52k+ in monthly income... Down Ecconomy for who?
Ya... I just sold a vehicle to a Pechanga Member who did make $52k per month and that was the only sorce of income... I was blown away to find out about this blog when we were talking about the sale I made with an ex pechaga who explaind to me about being what she called original pechanta and why they were kicked out. my prayers are with you friends...
$52k month!! The majority of these tribal members are still broke!! Come on get a real job! Maybe then you'll realize $52k month is more then enough to pay ALL your bills and some!
What about the memebrs who go to buy furniture? They want extended credit. Some people are living paycheck to paycheck. Debt to income is at ists max! $50K month??? Have you paid your taxes?
Unbelievable! I had a Pechanga member bring his entire familly in for dinner., The bill was over $350. My tip was $25.
I don't understand....is it $29,000 a month or $52,000 a month??.,..have to tell you...the Casino is very dead...went inside to cash in some comps...put a hundred in a machine(my comp from the Casino)...took out $1,300 and left.....they aren't getting any of my money as long as they continue to treat their own the way they treated you people...
Where did the 52K per month figure come from?
We have been hearing it is 30K per month but even at that amount, how could someone run out of money?
I do remember though when we were still in the tribe people at the PDC meetings complaining about having to wait to get their quarterly bonuses because they were running out of money.
OK, as reported to me and verifiable, $29,000 to $31,000 a month. Not including quartely bonuses. Still people are unable to pay their bills. What would they do with $52,000 a month???
$360,000 a yr. What charities are you supporting if any??? Gaming was to help all native Californians, I can think of several hundred caught in an illegal moritorium at Pechanga.
I'm sorry to hear all this. I became an employee and believed in the mission. Then I hit the floor and was astounded at the hypocrisy. I am currently at the bottom of the labor force and they are harassing me to take a cut in pay or quit. I think they want to end the UI I began collecting because I am on-call, no benefits, and they stopped calling. My UI is only $155/week and they want to take that? This seems awfully petulant, manipulative and as you have pointed out, corrupt. I really believed in the Indian way until now. Perhaps there are some good ones still.
I would appreciate any advice from you, T'eetilawuncha. Thank you.
Go to Pala. No layoffs there. Our prayers are with you all.
Thanks for sharing.
"OK, as reported to me and verifiable, $29,000 to $31,000 a month. Not including quartely bonuses. Still people are unable to pay their bills. What would they do with $52,000 a month???"
I was going to set the record straight, but it would go against what I believe in...not divulging that information to strangers or publicly. It's not you or anybody elses business.
Let me just say you are very mis-informed and not correct in your calculations!!
Regarding all of your generalizations about "me" (since I can only speak for myself) What's not true
is that I don't struggle. But then again I haven't gone out and bought a new house, I rent. I haven't bought a new car since 2001 and don't plan on purchasing another one soon.. I can only drive one car at a time, right? I pay my bills just like everybody else, maybe there a bit higher, but it's all relative to what one's income is. In other words, if I have 2500 dollars a month, I would live within the means of that income, and not try to live the lifestyle of Donald Trump or Bill Gates!
I don't take vacations all the time, or live "high on the hog" or flaunt my income and say "I"M FROM PECHANGA!" In fact, I don't disclose the fact that I'm even from Pechanga unless it is absolutely necessary!!And it isn't because I'm ashamed of who or what I am. I'm tired of people asking me how much money I receive, being asked for "favors", or asked if I have another sister or brother they can date!!
It's wrong!! It's rude and it's bad upbringing!!!
I live a simple, uneventful life, paying my bills, visiting my family, and keeping the money in perspective...it isn't "WHO" I am..if I'm an assh*le without money, I'm still an assh*le with money!!
It doesn't change me, or give me priviledge to dump on those with less, or envy those with more! It doesn't make me "better" than you or less than you!! I know the difference between right and wrong...and let's face it, there's alot of wrongs that go on in the world, not just in the little community of Pechanga.
In fighting for a good cause,(or as what you believe to be true) don't you think that informing others with statements not based on complete fact, or remarks that are malicious or vindictive in their nature, don't you believe you are taking away from the "goodness" of that cause...the "right" of the wrongdoing you are trying to oppose?
All I'm "seeing" (reading) within every blog, or post or forum about disenrollment, I see bitter, vindictiveness and hate...about the tribe, about others or individuals, and in my opinion, that can't be "for a good cause", and you can't "win" that way.
"nuff said"
Well, all I can say is thanks for visiting. Your posts are welcome anytime. I'm glad for you and your success. Maybe you are in a targeted extended family, and are saving every penny you can.
The CPP not Pechanga as a whole is to blame for the mess we are in. You are right, sometimes our posts seem to target Pechanga as a whole, but that is not the intention. Put yourself in our place for a minute.
Would you fight for your rights? Would you stand up for your elders?
I'd hope so.
We are and will. The CPP has blocked us and is not ready to be fair, so we will use any means possible.
As far as the Per Cap, I'm positive we are right on the MONEY!
To Anonymous, You are truly an exception to all the tribal members
I know at Pechanga!! I would have to agree with t'eetilawuncha on a possible motive for you not living above your means. I've contiue to hear rumors of continuing disenrollments at Pechanga as well.
I'm not hating, just stating the facts as I see it & her it!
To Anonymous tribal member, beyond what you feel about what you see as attacks on the tribe, how do you feel about what was done to us and would you be willing to help us right the wrongs that were done?
Was it fair that the whole tribe voted in 2005 to end all disenrollments but we, the Hunters, were disenrolled in 2006 anyway and have you addressed that issue within the tribe so that Pechanga abides by their own law?
Was it fair That families like the Basquez/Masiels were cleared from their disenrollment case by less than a legal quorum which is supposed to be 51 percent or a minimum of six enrollment committee members, and are you willing to point out this violation of Pechanga law to the people? (don't just take my word for it, look into their case yourself)
Also, was it fair that once members of the enrollment committee such as those from the Basquez/Masiel family were illegally cleared, again by less that a legal quorum, from disenrollment that they were then allowed to vote on the cases of the Hunters and Manuela Mirandas?
Members of the Hunters and Manuela Mirandas had filed papers questioning the membership of the Basquez/Masiels so they should not have been allowed to vote on the Hunter and Manuela Miranda cases.
Article V of the Pechanga constitution says the tribal council is to uphold the individual rights of each member without malice of prejudice.
The council violated their duty by allowing biased enrollment committee memebers to rule on us.
I know there is an unwritten rule about discussing internal matters with people outside the tribe.
But what are we suppsed to do when internally the tribe violated its own laws in regards to our disenrollments?
Is there anyone in the tribe who is willing to help us take our case to the people after the unfair "sham" trials that resulted in our families being disenrolled?
We never really had our day in court and don't you think that if we could have a fair hearing of the people that what you view as negative remarks about the tribe would stop?
After all, Butch Murphy was allowed to take his family's case to the people in 1986 after the enrollment committee had turned down their membership applications and the people voted to take his family in.
Shouldn't we be allowed to have the same chance?
ANONYMOUS, HAS ANYONE LIFTED A FINGER TO HELP US SINCE OUR DISENROLLMENT AND AS MY COUSIN POINTED OUT, WHAT ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU IF YOU WERE IN OUR SHOES?
By the way, the title page of the 1986 meeting minutes in which Butch Murphy's family was taken in by the tribe says, "Adoptee" so the tribe can vote to take in people who likely don't have a blood connection but they can't let us who have a blood claim on tribal citizenship the same courtesy?
Oh I forgot, you people in the tribe think we are somehow being disloyal for being critical of the tribe's actions concerning us but again what would Anonymous do if he was in our shoes?
Anonymous said..."I've continue to hear rumors of continuing disenrollments at Pechanga as well."
Anyone remember Marks official statement to the general membership meeting in response to the rumors flying around that the Hunters were up for disenrollment, when he stated that NO other families were inline for disenrollment?
Just a warning to our fellow brothers in the tribe. If he has made similar statements after the disenrollment of the Hunters, DO NOT believe him.
Not only that, in late 2001 the enrollment committee sent out a letter to the general membership that the rumor that hundreds of people would be disenrolled was just that, a rumor, that there were no plans to disnroll anyone.
Well starting in 2002 attempts were made to disenroll families which ended up being successful with the disenrollment of the the Manuela Miranda descedants in 2004 and with the disenrollment of the Paulina Hunter desecendants in 2006.
Who can I believe, Pechanga's word or the facts?
My picture along with two Silver Feather Elders are on a Christmas card with the words printed by Pechanga No'Kiiyum No'onanum Puyaaymangay (Family Friends Always) but then I was disenrolled.
The petition that we passed at the 2005 Pechanga meeting was to stop all disenrollments including the Hunters per Mark Macarro, note all the Hunter signatures on the petition. The attorney at the meeting also stated that it did refer to all disenrollments. That the people could decide that anyone in the tribe from the day of the petition would not be disenrolled.
THE DISENROLLED MEMBERS AND TERMINATED EMPLOYESS SO FAR AMOUNT TO OVER 630, NOT INCLUDING THEIR FRIENDS WHO WILL NOT BE PEGHANGA CUSTOMERS. HOW CAN A BUSINESS SURVIVE AFTER LOSING THOUSANDS OF LOCAL CUSTOMERS?
'You are right, sometimes our posts seem to target Pechanga as a whole, but that is not the intention. Put yourself in our place for a minute'....
I have tried to, but realistically we know that's impossible. I can't possibly know what you're going through. I've thought about it.."what if I was told my whole life(as I have been) who I am(ancestry) and where I am from" and then had people tell me later it wasn't so..I would be outraged because I know and have seen the proof with my own eyes! I grew up in Pechanga... have dear and lifelong friendships with some of those disenrolled people, and to this day still continue to be friends. We keep the politics out of our conversations because it's beyond our control, and we can't place blame, take it personal, or anything else. I've asked my family the "whys" of it, and I accept it, not because I have to, or fear of rejection, as I have seen some of the blogs state, I accept it because it's as I said previously, "what I have been told"..probably just as yourselves. I've tried to get "the other side of the story" by looking through your different blogs on the net, but sometimes it's hard to read ...with all the mean spirited name calling that some, (not all of you) write about the people I know and am related to, and even if some of it may or may not be true, your "cause" loses its focus AND integrity and instead becomes little more than "mud-slinging", when I am looking for information and facts!
Losing respect and dignity for and towards one another only creates more negativity, and less solutions don't you agree?
I can't answer any questions regarding what the "tribe" decides... or what they voted on back in the 70's or 80's or recently. Realize I'm only ONE person, and my opinions here are only to address things I see on here that I consider mis-information, things I know are not correct or just generalizing and maybe a personal opinion or two.
One more thing.. You're tagging "Pechanga" as evil, and corrupt and "rip offs", and "greedy, money hungry", ect ect. but Pechanga (the res) is not the "bad guy" here...the business isn't the bad guy either, some of you think that if the casino shuts down tomorrow everybody (the tribe) will suffer greatly...we will all have nothing to live for anymore, we will all just wither up and die a horrible death, in speaking for myself I say... "got to keep it in perspective"..without the money what will happen.?? We all will HAVE to go to work...yeah and maybe have to sell a few things until we get back on our feet if we didn't save...maybe have to cut back on those little extras...but all in all..."We'll live!" (and die when it's our time.)So if any one here thinks I'm not a big spender because I may be next in line...wrong!
F.Y.I.: I'm not on "the chopping block" but if it should happen,I live the motto: life goes on...and so will I.
"Pechanga" shouldn't ever be interpreted or be used in the same context as the word, "money" as I have seen it become. Pechanga is my home, the place that my grandparents, and their grandparents called home. Their sacrifice, while they lived, I can't even begin to fathom, and where we should be celebrating and honoring them today with the progress we've made, in that we don't have to live like they did.. what's happening instead? How do we honor them in our actions and words? Where have we (all of us) lost focus of the big picture, and followed in the things they instilled in us? Good question...
Nuff said.
Thanks for visiting again.
I read your post and see sincerity, but a little naivety.
Don't rock the boat is alot of peoples motto.
Your right, we can wave, have conversations, act like nothing happened or will happen. In truth something did happen and probably will happen again.
You say you are searching for answers. On the left side of my blog under THAT IS A FACT are some answers.
"Tribes are not the harmonious band of people that non Indians think they are. There are always schisms and factions that do not get along with one another."
Because of the lack of protection for the Hunters Civil rights, we have no choice, but to use forums such as this to be heard.
For my Elders and all my relations.
Anonymous, don't just ask your family the "whys of it," do some more research and don't just take our or their word for it.
You said, "I can't answer any questions regarding what the "tribe" decides... or what they voted on back in the 70's or 80's or recently."
Yes, that while to can't answer the questions for the tribe, you can ask the questions about why those decisions were made, again do some more research, and because you are sincere and you seem to want to do the right thing you can help right these wrongs and yes one person can do something about it.
I know you risk alienating some friends and family members who you know to be good people but if we can show you our facts without, as you call it, the mudslinging, maybe you can convince those other sincere people that a wrong has been perpetrated.
We would be glad to show you our documentation (and a lot of it has been listed here that can be verified) but for now I will outline one of the key pieces of "so called evidence" that was presented against us and I will show you how it doesn't show we are not Pechanga people and how other evidence shows we are Pechanga people.
Raymond Basquez Sr sent a letter to the enrollment committee that said the tribe has historically not reconginized us, the desecendants of Paulina Hunter, as Pechanga people.
In his letter he lists Pechanga elders from previous generations who allegedly said we are not Pechanga people and in his letter he lists the birth years and death years of those elders.
The vast majority of those elders were not even born when my ancestor Paulina Hunter died in 1899 and those who were alive then were small children so while it could be possible some of them didn't know her or our family, there is no documentation that they said that we don't belong, it is just Basquez saying they said it.
Moreover, one of the elders Basquez qoutes in his letter actually gave testimony in the 1930's in some of Paulina Hunter's children's probate for their share of our allotment!
The key point is elders who were adults in the late 1800's, who would know who is an original person, verified that Paulina Hunter was a Pechanga person.
Antonio Ashman, who is called a vaunted (much praised) tribal elder on the tribe's own official website said in a legal deposition when asked, "did you know Paulina Hunter as a member of the (Pechanga) band?" his response was, "I knew her as such."
Two other Pechanga elders from the historical period of the late 1800's verified this in legal depositions from the 1915 probate hearings for Paulina's allotment showing that not only was Paulina on the reservation when it was created, she was in the Temecula village before the reservation was created.
In addition, Seven current elders gave legal depositions that said they have always recognized us as being Pechanga people, directly contradicting Mr. Basquez's and two other elders from the CPP faction.
So we have seven current Pechanga people saying we are Pechanga people verses three who said we aren't.
In closing, I know you respect your elders and don't want to say that they are wrong in their views.
But if we could show you our facts, maybe you can respectfully show then that they are wrong.
NO MUDSLINGING IN MY POST, RIGHT?
Add on to my last post: Anonymous tribal member, I realize that it would be be difficult, even if we convince you that we truly belong, for you to convince your family and friends that we were wronged.
1. You may not want to take it upon yourself to go out on a limb and help us.
2. Even if you did, the response to you from them may be, "we don't have to look at the Hunters documents, we already know they are not Pechanga."
That was the biggest problem we faced, those who were in charge of our fate already had their minds made up that they were going to vote us out and it didn't matter what we turned in.
See, we never really had our day in court and I could show you how grossly unfair the proceedings were and that is not just me saying it, I can back what I am saying with documentation and our opponents cannot back up their views the same way.
In the case against us there was not one piece of documentation that proved the case against us.
It was just the faulty interpretation of the evidence by a slight majority on the enrollment committee (in fact this slight majority ignored anything that supported our membership).
As far as you being friends with our family members, that is great but realize that the reason some of our relatives won't bring up, as you say, the politics, is because some of our family members are just plain weak.
Sorry to those of our relatives who this applies to but that is one of the reasons those that kicked us out went after us because they believed we wouldn't fight back.
But a truly just society protects not only the strong but the weak also and that is why some of us will never quit fighting for our rights.
IS IT WRONG FOR US TO INSIST THAT PECHANGA SHOULD FOLLOW ITS OWN LAWS?
some of our family members are just plain weak.
It isn't enough that those who were our enemies have to twist the knife that was stuck in our backs, but now it has to come from family members. Taking up the banner of those who have attacked us is a bit too much for my taste.
I will remove myself from these forums for awhile, and come back hopefully after things become a bit more civil.
When things seem to get a little slow, people sometimes say things out of frustration. I'm sure we will all agree on that. These banners are a big help in that it gives us a voice, and we are making progress. I do not belive we have weak people in our family. Kindness should never be mistaken for weakness.
I wasn't taking up the banner of those who have attacked us, I was reaching out to someone who appears sincere.
Some of the tribe, even reasonable honest people, may truly believe that it was right to kick us out or their minds aren't make up but they are turned off by what they see as constant attacks on the tribe and if we can show them our facts, without always saying what a bunch of crooks the tribe is, we can show them that the decision was wrong to disenroll us and maybe we can make progress towards justice.
The truth is most of the tribe is not a bunch of crooks and these are the people who we need to reach.
I guess I am somewhat opptomistic in that maybe we can somehow at some point be able to take our case to the people.
T'eetilawuncha is right, I am frustrated by the lack of a lot of our relatives keeping up the fight.
But it is true to an extent that some people have given up and aren't willing to keep plugging away.
I even saw this before we were disenrolled when people would tell me at meetings, "be quiet, they (our opponents) might hear you."
It was like they were afraid to make our opponents mad and it does seem our opponents knew this.
Yes, kindness is not weakness but always avoiding the subject with friends from the tribe is like saying it is over and we can't do anything about it.
But also, even if Anonymous doesn't want to hear it, there is some level of corruption in the Pechanga government and there are times when we do have to point it out because there can't be true justice if we ignore it.
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