Litigation

Poarch Creeks question attempts to impose local taxes on casinos

Monday, July 9, 2012

Gaming has been good to the Poarch Creek Band of Indians and officials in Escambia County, Alabama, want a piece of the action.

The county isn't seeking a share of casino revenues though. Instead, officials say the tribe must pay property taxes due to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The decision restricted the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. The Poarch Band didn't gain federal recognition until 1984 so the county claims the tribe's casinos aren't on trust land.

"If you pursue this, and if you were successful, you would then lose the jobs that are in that end of the county," Robert McGhee, the tribe's governmental relations adviser, told The Mobile Press-Register. "You wipe out the source of what you actually want to get funds from."

County officials say they don't want to shut down the casinos.

Get the Story:
Relationship between Poarch Creek, Alabama officials on the rocks (The Mobile Press-Register 7/9)
Poarch Creek land acquisition plans could be complicated by Supreme Court decision (The Mobile Press-Register 7/8)