The Citizen Potawatomi Nation questioned why the city of Shawnee, Oklahoma, is pursuing mediation over sales taxes.

The city wants the tribe to collect a 3 percent tax on the sale of goods to non-Indians. But Chairman John Barrett said his tribe's businesses don't fall under the city's jurisdiction.

"In our opinion, there is not anything to mediate at this time," Barrett said in a statement to The Shawnee News-Star. "We will wait for the city of Shawnee to provide us with evidence that we are within the city limits.”

The city met with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, the Kickapoo Tribe and the Sac and Fox Nation to discuss the matter. Barrett said discussions didn't go anywhere.

Get the Story:
Tribe opposes city’s desire for formal mediation (The Shawnee News-Star 4/9)
Formal mediation: Sales tax issue decided; law firm defined despite disagreement (The Shawnee News-Star 4/9)

Related Stories:
Citizen Potawatomi Nation closes cultural center due to damage (4/3)
Oklahoma might side with city in dispute over tribes and taxes (3/27)
Oklahoma tribes meet with city to discuss dispute over sales tax (3/25)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation accuses city of bullying on sales tax (3/20)
City won't provide sales tax information to Oklahoma tribes (3/17)
Oklahoma tribes might walk away from meeting over sales tax (3/13)
Oklahoma city to meet with tribes over request for sales taxes (02/28)
City cites Supreme Court ruling in push for sales tax from tribes (2/24)
Tribes seek more information about city's request for sales tax (02/19)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation plans to create separate community (2/18)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation questions city's taxation stance (2/6)
Oklahoma city wants tribes to pay taxes on non-Indian sales (2/5)