Supervisors in Santa Barbara County, California, voted 3-2 not to engage in land-into-trust talks with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The tribe wanted to enter formal discussions to address taxation and land issues on a 1,400-acre site that is the subject of a land-into-trust application. But the county instead voted to treat the tribe like any other group.

“I believe it is very important that the tribe and the county have a government-to-government relationship,” Chairman Vincent Armenta said in a letter to the county, according to local news reports. “I believe it is time for Santa Barbara County to step up to the plate to recognize that relationship.”

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has started work on the tribe's application.

Get the Story:
County moves to consider Chumash Camp 4 (The Santa Maria Times 8/21)
SB County Supervisors Reject Dialogue Offer with Chumash (KCOY 8/20)

Related Stories:
Editorial: Chumash Tribe stray off reservation with land plans (8/20)
Chumash Tribe seeks discussion on land-into-trust application (8/19)
Chumash Tribe submits land-into-trust application for property (08/09)