County Democrats: Collect Nation taxes
Story Created:
Nov 26, 2008 at 4:51 PM EST
Story Updated:
Nov 26, 2008 at 5:19 PM EST
(WKTV) - The Oneida County Democratic leaders have proposed legislation that would collect certain taxes from the Oneida Indian Nation. The minority party says these laws are already in place, they just have not been enforced.
On Tuesday, authorities in Cayuga and Seneca counties raided shops and seized millions of untaxed cigarettes from two convenience stores owned by the Cayuga Indian Nation. Wednesday, Democratic leaders in Oneida County say its time to do the same thing here and they say to do it, it is going to take some guts by law enforcement.
A resolution to enforce the collection of taxes on cigarettes, gas, and liquor sold at the Oneida Indian Nation will be before the full legislature in two weeks. This resolution will also include involving Madison County in the efforts.
Democratic minority leader Michael Hennessy says the law to allow the county to do this has been in effect for some time, it is just no one has enforced it. He says now the Democrats are taking control and forcing the nation to abide by the same laws other businesses in the county already abide by, "We have some local issues that we can drive. t is time we get the leadership to do it. Instead of going up there and negotiating and not hearing anything for months," Hennessy said.
A major player in those negotiations is Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente. He says at this time he does not support this resolution because he says it is premature. He says Cayuga and Seneca counties have different circumstances than Oneida County, and fears without state approval in attempting to collect taxes, there would be more costly litigation.
"The governor hasn't signed a bill on the collection of Indian taxes as it stands right now it is still on his desk. When is it that going to take place? Until that time I don't want to put the county in another position in which were back in court and spending more money on lawsuits that are leading us down the path of no where," Picente said.
Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara says he has been notified of this plan. However, he would like to do some more research before he sees anything try to be enforced.
McNamara said current litigation and over 13,000 acres of land in a federal trust are circumstances Cayuga and Seneca counties did not have to deal with, so the laws may be tougher to enforce in Oneida County.
At least three Oneida County Republican legislators have also agreed to this proposal.
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