Citizen Potawatomi Nation plans to create separate community

Tuesday, February 18, 2014  

The leader of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma plans to form a separate community in response to the city of Shawnee's demand for sales taxes.

The tribe owns about 1,000 acres of trust land within the city limits. And if the city won't drop its request, Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett said the tribe will take its property -- and businesses -- elsewhere.

“We have taken several steps toward becoming self-sufficient including many governmental functions like developing our own utilities, building and maintaining roads, purchasing and maintaining streetlights and stop lights, operating a police force and buying property within our tribal jurisdiction,” Barrett told The Oklahoman.

The city claims the tribe must collect a 3 percent tax on the sale of goods to non-Indians. Officials won't say how much the tax would bring in.

Barrett, however, said the tribe's financial and other contributions to the city more than make up for any loss in tax revenue.

Get the Story:
City of Shawnee's 'aggressive' behavior could force Oklahoma tribe's hand, chairman says (The Oklahoman 2/16)

Citizen Potawatomi Nation questions city's taxation stance (2/6)