The Utica Observer-Dispatch asked readers to talk about the effects of taking about 13,000 acres of land into trust for the Oneida Nation of New York. A sampling of the responses follows.
Amanda Ashley: "This is what happens when our political leaders want to fight with the Nation instead of working together for the good of the community as a whole. It was wrong what America did to the Oneidas and this is a major step toward righting that wrong."
Greg Roos: "If all that property goes off the tax rolls, other taxable properties will be forced to make up for the lost revenue. So my county taxes will go up. This might be offset in part through sales tax collection at businesses owned by the Oneidas. The state must enforce the law and collect these sales taxes."
Ron McMaster: "All citizens of all Indian nations that are within the boundaries of our United States of America should be governed by the same laws. They should enjoy the same benefits and they should be equally treated."
Jack A. Karwacki: "Original tribal land should and will stay as an untaxed sovereign nation. On the other hand, all Oneida County and Madison County land that has been purchased for Nation business endeavors needs to be fairly and equitably handled through a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement to the municipalities that provide services to Nation owned property."
Get the Story:The effects of land into trust (The Utica Observer Dispatch 3/7) Federal Register Notice:
Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Transfer From Fee to Trust of Parcels Owned by the Oneida Indian Nation of New York in Oneida and Madison Counties, New York (February 22, 2008) Relevant Documents:
Final EIS (March 2008) | Draft EIS (November 2006) From the Indianz.Com Archive:
BIA official calls high court ruling 'quite depressing' (March 31, 2005)
Major defeat for Oneida Nation in Supreme Court case (March 30, 2005) Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation Trust - http://www.oneidanationtrust.com
Oneida Nation, New York - http://www.oneida-nation.net
Indian Nation Fee-to-Trust Land Acquisition Applications in New York State - http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/888.html
Oneida Indian Nation's Land Into Trust Application, Madison County - http://www.madisoncounty.org/motf/OINTrustMain.html Sherrill v. Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens] Related Stories:
Cason to follow through on Oneida land-into-trust (2/25)
BIA to rule on Oneida trust lands request (2/22)
Cason to brief counties on Oneida land-into-trust (2/22)
2nd Circuit hears Oneida Nation foreclosure case (11/07)
2nd Circuit to hear Oneida Nation foreclosure case (11/5)
Oneida Nation can't drop taxation lawsuits (8/14)
New York urged to collect taxes on Oneida Nation (8/3)
Wisconsin tribe opposes Oneida Nation trust land (06/21)
Land-into-trust next big move for Oneida Nation (6/15)
New York to appeal Oneida land claim decision (6/7)
Judge dismisses New York land-into-trust lawsuit (6/6)
Views: Oneida Nation, treaties and land claims (5/30)
Editorial: Collaboration needed on Oneida land claim (5/30)
Oneida Nation said to owe $248M in taxes (5/25)
Door still open for Oneidas on land claim (5/22)
BIA to act on Oneida Nation land-into-trust (5/10)
DOJ seeks dismissal of New York land-into-trust suit (04/26)
Cason explains misgivings on land-into-trust (04/20)
Oneida Nation shifts lobbying to Washington (03/12)
Oneida Nation fights to save land claim from dismissal (3/7)
Halbritter attributes Oneida success to hard work (3/5)
Fire destroys Oneida Nation carpentry shop (3/2)
Oneida Nation officially ends tax dispute with city (2/28)
Oneida Nation builds in-house legal department (2/13)
Another hearing on Oneida Nation land-into-trust (2/7)
Oneida Nation refused county inspection of gas pumps (1/22)
BIA schedules another Oneida land-into-trust meeting (1/10)
