State of the County address focuses on relationship with Oneida Nation
Story Created:
Mar 4, 2009 at 4:08 PM EST
Story Updated:
May 8, 2009 at 10:46 AM EST
UTICA,N.Y. (WKTV) - Oneida County faces high sales taxes, job loses, and a very costly sewer problem among other issues. Today Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente (R) delivered his State of the County address highlighting tourism efforts, recovering back taxes in Utica and resolving an ongoing issue between the county and Oneida Indian Nation.
"I think its very realistic, i think its now or never, we can't keep going on at least in my term," Picente said.
Picente told Newschannel 2 he is tentatively scheduled to meet with Oneida Nation officials within two weeks in order to negotiate a deal to retrieve property taxes and enforce county laws that haven't been adhered to.
Nation C.E.O. Ray Halbritter said in a statement he is hopeful an agreement will soon be reached
"... It is time to resolve our differences and move forward. We are encouraged to be on a course toward doing so. We hope to be able to enter into a comprehensive agreement with the State and County into he near future."
Democratic Minority leader Michael Hennessy is not in favor of Picente's plan.
"This is quite alarming to hear from the media that the county executive is negotiating a deal without any local input from elected officials, without regard to the recent court decisions."
In January the federal government placed 18 acres of Central New York land into tax-exempt trust for the Nation. That action carried out by the U.S. Department of the Interior came as the status of 17,000 acres in Oneida and Madison counties remain mired in lawsuits.
