The state and Seneca Nation have kicked the can a little further down the road with a short-term extension of the gaming compact between the nation and state of New York.

The 21-year-old gaming agreement was to expire on Saturday. The extension provides time for the sides to continue talking while taking off the table the potentially nasty situation in which the state could have attempted to shut down the Seneca Nation’s gaming operations when the compact expired. No one in Chautauqua or Cattaraugus counties wanted to see that happen.

We remember all too well prior fights between the state and nation.

The question now is what should happen with the benefit of additional time.

In our view state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, made a good point last week in mentioning host community payments. The state has changed the gaming equation since the compact with the Seneca Nation was reached in the early 2000s – and the Seneca Nation can’t be expected to continue raking in money as it has in the past. But that means both the Seneca Nation and the communities that host the nation’s gaming facilities can’t count on the same revenues for another 20 years – and host communities have made commitments based on percentage of casino profits from the previous compact. The state should make every effort to keep revenues the same for the Seneca Nation and local communities even if that means it takes a smaller cut of the Seneca Nation’s gaming revenue in the future.

The sides’ press statements over the weekend were promising. Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong said Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she wants to reset the relationship between the state and Seneca Nation. That’s a good goal. Those who live in and around the Cattaraugus County reservations in Irving and Salamanca know how testy the relationship between the state and nation have been – and the tension isn’t good for anyone here.

Let’s hope this next round of talks is fruitful.