The Poarch Creek Band of Indians met with officials in Escambia County, Alabama, to discuss land-into-trust issues.

Both sides said the meeting went well. It came after some officials said they wanted to impose property taxes on tribal lands.

“This was a step in the right direction,” Robbie McGhee, the tribe's governmental affairs advisor, told The Atmore Advance. “We made some progress. This will open the doors for us to work together. The county and the tribe need to get past this.”

The main issue is the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar. The ruling restricts the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" as of 1934.

The Poarch Creeks didn't gain recognition until 1984 so some officials claim past land-into-trust acquisitions are invalid.

Get the Story:
County and PCI meet (The Atmore News 8/1)

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