The Oneida Nation of New York plans to make payments to local schools for land taken off the tax rolls.

The tribe will make the payments as part of its "Silver Covenant" program. But the schools might not get the money because a bill awaiting Gov. George Pataki's signature would take the tribe's money as unpaid property taxes and put it in a special state account.

The tribe is also making other payments related to taxes in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. The court ruled that the tribe has to go through the land-into-trust process after reacquiring ancestral lands on the open market.

Get the Story:
Oneidas to make school payments (The Syracuse Post-Standard 8/10)

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation - http://www.oneida-nation.net

Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

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