The FireLake Corner Store in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Photo from Citizen Potawatomi Nation

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation has filed a petition to remove its trust lands from the city of Shawnee amid a fight over sales taxes.

Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett has already insisted that the tribe's lands do not fall within city limits. But he filed the petition anyway to make it clear that the city lacks the authority to tax the sale of goods to non-Indians.

"This way will be the easiest and least expensive path, rather than a lawsuit or special election, for the taxpayers of Shawnee, many of whom are our family members and employees," Barrett told The Native American Times.

The city plans to hold a hearing on the petition on October 20, according to a legal notice published in The Shawnee News-Star. A prior petition was rejected because the city clerk claimed the federal government's signature was not provided, according to a September 10 legal notice.

According to that notice, the tribe owns 566 acres while the federal government holds 1,158 acres in trust for the tribe.

The dispute began earlier this year when the city told four tribes, including the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, to start collecting a 3 percent tax on the sale of goods to non-Indians. The city hired a New Mexico-based law firm to help with the issue but appears to be halting the effort for now, the News-Star reported.

The city commission voted 6-1 last night to stop all sales tax enforcements and to end the contract with the law firm, the paper said. More details on the meeting are expected to be reported tomorrow.

Get the Story:
Citizen Potawatomi Nation moving forward to annex from city limits (The Native American Times 10/7)
City Commission (The Shawnee News-Star 10/7)
City Commission: 'Conflict' discussion returns (The Shawnee News-Star 10/4)
Second 'Detachment' Petition May Be Headed To City Hall (The Countywide & Sun 10/2)
Petition to detach: Tribe seeks formal land separation from city (The Shawnee News-Star 9/26)

Related Stories:
Citizen Potawatomi Nation says 1991 ruling resolved tax issue (05/12)
Linda Capps: Citizen Potawatomi Nation is a good neighbor (04/21)
Opinion: City looking for agreement with tribes over sales taxes (04/10)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation objects to mediation for sales taxes (04/09)
Oklahoma might side with city in dispute over tribes and taxes (3/27)
Oklahoma tribes meet with city to discuss dispute over sales tax (3/25)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation accuses city of bullying on sales tax (3/20)
City won't provide sales tax information to Oklahoma tribes (3/17)
Oklahoma tribes might walk away from meeting over sales tax (3/13)
Oklahoma city to meet with tribes over request for sales taxes (02/28)
City cites Supreme Court ruling in push for sales tax from tribes (2/24)
Tribes seek more information about city's request for sales tax (02/19)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation plans to create separate community (2/18)
Citizen Potawatomi Nation questions city's taxation stance (2/6)
Oklahoma city wants tribes to pay taxes on non-Indian sales (2/5)