Zogby Internation conducts follow-up poll for the Tribe

Observer Staff

11/27/2001 12:00:00 AM

The nationwide poll, which served as a follow-up to one conducted by the firm about 15 months ago, included 1,530 random interviews. Margin of error is listed as a plus or minus 2.6 percent.

Seventy-seven percent of the respondents also believed states should decide for themselves how to approve of Tribal-state gaming agreements without federally mandated rules. Furthermore, 48 percent concurred Tribal governments can be more trusted to regulate their own gaming facilities over the federal government.

Fifty-three percent of those polled trust Tribal governments to protect the environment at and near the reservations. Slightly more than half, or 57 percent, of the likely voters disagreed that Tribal governments should be required to allow labor unions onto their reservations to unionize Tribal employees as a condition of obtaining a Tribal-state gaming agreement.

"These findings show consistency nationwide in voters' support for Tribal governments and how they use their lands positively for community and economic development," stated Dr. Chris Petras, coordinator of the study and policy research analyst for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's Legislative Affairs Department. "Trust in Tribal governments is strong among American voters. Indian Country looks forward to sharing this information with elected officials in Washington as they consider legislation affecting Tribal governments."

Both polls were commissioned by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.