We would ask that our Republican representatives in Albany - Sens. Michael Nozzolio and Assemblymen Brian Kolb, Gary Finch and Robert Oaks - do more than just vote against Gov. Pataki's proposed land claim settlements.

We hope that they will lobby colleagues in both houses to oppose agreements that will not be worth the paper they are printed on.

While some of our local lawmakers may not represent citizens in the land claim areas, they represent counties that stand to lose taxable land and business owners who will lose money if Indian-owned businesses are not required to collect sales taxes from customers.

Pataki is pushing this settlement as if it were the cornerstone of his legacy, an opportunity to be the governor who ended 200 years of disagreement between the current and original New Yorkers.

And he has mashed together each one of these five settlements into one legislative bill in order to grease the skids to passage, even though each settlement is unique and deserves its own individual scrutiny.

He is pushing this legislation into the faces of state lawmakers, despite receiving a mixed message on a revised version of his settlement from Cayuga County, and an outright rejection of his Cayuga Nation settlement agreement from Seneca County.

And he is presenting this to Albany lawmakers even before Sullivan County - the new home for the Pataki Poker Palaces - has had the opportunity to vote on the settlement agreements.

Pataki's blatant disregard for the affected counties and their residents would make you wonder if, indeed, this will be his last term in office. Lame duck state officials need worry only about their legacy, not their constituents.

Pataki was quick to point out that the five proposed casinos in the Catskills will generate 50,000 jobs and attract more than 30 million visitors.

We're not surprised the governor's fleet of staff didn't also research and promote the increase in failed marriages, bankruptcies, pawn shops, crime, alcoholism and gambling addiction that five casinos will bring to Sullivan County. Oh, and about those 50,000 jobs ... how many do you think will provide a living wage?

It's an uncomfortable position for a Republican, sitting on the opposite side of an issue from your party's governor.

But we hope that our local Republican lawmakers do not sit there quietly.