LuKahnLi
01-14-2006, 09:14 AM
My employers, the Oneida Indian Nation, the owners of the Turning Stone casino are currently attempting to get the bureau of Indian Affairs to put the land they own into federal trust so that they can keep their tax exempt status and continue to legally operate their casino.
This has been a very controversial issue in this area. Opponents of this measure make the following arguements.
-The lack of property taxes collected from the Nation have hurt the local economy.
-If the Nation is allowed a free reign in their land then the state will be unable to impose its own regulations (health, safety fire codes, etc.)
-There will be a jurisdiction question for local police and fire officials.
These arguments however have no merit.
As to the issue of taxes....First of all, the lack of property taxes cannot hurt the local economy because the Oneidas have never been on the tax rolls. Also any tax money collected from the Oneidas cannot be used by the local politicians but it must go straight to Albany. Third, the Oneidas also voluntarily pay the local governments money which is at least equal to what they would pay in property taxes. Being an employee there, I can tell you, I PAY TAXES. State, Federal and Sales tax with every purchase.
As to regulations.....This argument ignores the fact that the Oneidas have repeatedly VOLUNTARILY invited state and county health officials to inspect their properties, each time, these officials have been impressed and have remarked that the Oneida's standards are higher than the states.
The land in question is less than 2% of Madison and Oneida county. This one is actually just a case of local politicians worrying that they will be unable to bully and intimidate anywhere they want. Everybody in this area knows this is true.
This case explains my absence. I have been attending a bunch of rallies and picketing about this. Because unless the land containing the casino is put in federal trust, the state will shut it down and I will have no job.
This has been a very controversial issue in this area. Opponents of this measure make the following arguements.
-The lack of property taxes collected from the Nation have hurt the local economy.
-If the Nation is allowed a free reign in their land then the state will be unable to impose its own regulations (health, safety fire codes, etc.)
-There will be a jurisdiction question for local police and fire officials.
These arguments however have no merit.
As to the issue of taxes....First of all, the lack of property taxes cannot hurt the local economy because the Oneidas have never been on the tax rolls. Also any tax money collected from the Oneidas cannot be used by the local politicians but it must go straight to Albany. Third, the Oneidas also voluntarily pay the local governments money which is at least equal to what they would pay in property taxes. Being an employee there, I can tell you, I PAY TAXES. State, Federal and Sales tax with every purchase.
As to regulations.....This argument ignores the fact that the Oneidas have repeatedly VOLUNTARILY invited state and county health officials to inspect their properties, each time, these officials have been impressed and have remarked that the Oneida's standards are higher than the states.
The land in question is less than 2% of Madison and Oneida county. This one is actually just a case of local politicians worrying that they will be unable to bully and intimidate anywhere they want. Everybody in this area knows this is true.
This case explains my absence. I have been attending a bunch of rallies and picketing about this. Because unless the land containing the casino is put in federal trust, the state will shut it down and I will have no job.