There is a sacred Native American proverb that says "We will be known forever by the tracks we leave." These are words that are particularly poignant as we joined with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and leaders from Oneida and Madison counties last week to take historic steps into a brighter future.
If ratified by each of the respective governing bodies, the casino agreement would make the state and counties partners and investors in our enterprises in exchange for our commitment to share revenues with the state.
We see this as a welcome and long overdue way to codify and expand what we've already been doing for more than two decades. This agreement represents sovereign governments joining together to say in one voice that we can take more positive steps forward together as partners than as adversaries.
When we worked with former Gov. Mario Cuomo on the original public policies that allowed us to launch our operations in 1993, we took steps to build businesses not on lowest common denominators and races to the bottom, but instead on shared prosperity and a centuries-old commitment to this region. Over the next 20 years, we invested $2.5 billion in our vendors, contributed $300 million a year to New York's economy and generated millions of dollars in annual public revenues.
Those are the tracks we left, and they prove our original steps forward in 1993 were well worth taking.
The same can be said about last week's historic agreement, because the new steps forward follow the same path we have been following all along. The only difference is that now those steps will be taken together with the state, meaning that Central New York has a major opportunity to strengthen and build off of our shared success.
To appreciate the significance of this agreement, remember that Governor Cuomo has made confronting the economic emergency in upstate New York a top priority for this state. In that, he understands the Native American proverb. He understands, in other words, that this entire generation will indeed be known by the tracks we leave in an area that has too often been ignored.
His vision, of course, is absolutely correct. Last week's agreement makes clear that the business model the Oneida Nation has created will be one of the foundations of that larger effort.
That is good news not just for our people, but for everyone in the region. As the governor and county leaders recognize, the Oneida Nation is built on community investment and is forever rooted in Central New York. As we strengthen and grow, so will the regional economy. That strength will now be better guaranteed for future generations with the state becoming our full and equal partner.
Two centuries ago, the Treaty of Canadaigua, signed by my ancestors and this country's founders, recognized "peace and friendship shall be perpetual" between our two peoples. In constructing an economic accord for the entire state, our two peoples are living up to those words and honoring the founding ideals of both of our nations.
We are also making sure that when future generations look back for guidance, they will see that their prosperity didn't come from thin air, but instead from a deliberate path only made possible by collaboration, community spirit and commitment to mutual respect and equal partnership.
Ray Halbritter is the Oneida Nation Representative.
