Dec. 24 court order in New York-Tribal cigarette tax dispute escalation
December 24th, 2008
The day after Gov. David Paterson signed a cigarette tax bill in the state’s latest attempt to get tax revenues from the Indian tobacco trade, tribal leaders said they will fight the proposal in every way they can.
Harry Wallace, the chief of the Unkechaug Indian Nation summed up the tribes’ position: “Our position is very simple and it is simply this: We cannot be compelled or forced or coerced or threatened to collect New York state taxes without our consent. Nothing that they do will ever achieve that goal,†Wallace told Indian Country Today.
Paterson signed the bill – Assembly bill 11258A/Senate bill 8146-B – at a “ceremony†in Utica Dec. 15, according to the governor’s press release.
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I don’t know if the tribes brought a lawsuit already, but Indian Country Today is reporting that a New York state judge issued a temporary restraining order to prevent enforcement of the new law at this time.
“New York Supreme Court Judge Rose Sconiers issued a Temporary Restraining Order Dec. 24, prohibiting the state from stopping stamping agents from selling unstamped cigarettes to reservation retailers or restricting reservation retailers from selling unstamped cigarettes to tribal members and non-Indians until the state distributes tax-exempt coupons to the nine Indian tribes within state borders.”
December 30th, 2008 09:17
Good for you, Mr. Wallace. For many years, State and Federal entities have taken advantage of sovereign tribes. Many of which consisted of poor, shoddy policies and inept management. It is vitally important that Natives, professional and community members to educate themselves on how to manage properly and with true leadership. I’m not talking about radicalism i.e. 70s (but it did have its place in history). This takes responsibility, commitment and compassion. It does not rule out that the Native members should start their own mission — missionary outreach to educate everyone else what was going on and still going on. Right now, the U.S. is in a recession – right now, State & Federal entities are looking for money. They have on many occasions ignored their role in policies that were already in place. They still display arrogance and ignorance on these issues, sadly, this can be said for most of America.