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N.Y. Indian Tribes Oppose Proposal to Tax Cigarettes
Bangor Daily News ^ | 9-23-03

Posted on 10/2/2003, 2:18:37 AM by SheLion

N.Y. Indian Tribes Oppose Proposal to Tax Cigarettes

Nedrow, N.Y. - The state's new proposal to collect taxes on Indian reservations is provoking opposition among the affected tribes.

Onondaga Indian chiefs say if the state tries to collect taxes on cigarettes sold on the tribe's reservation, the Onondagas will build a toolbooth on Interstate 81, which crosses Indian land here just south of Syracuse, and charge a fee.

"If we can build this," Chief Virgil Thomas said, pointing to the nation's state-of-the-art lacrosse and hockey arena, "we can build a toll booth."

The Onondaga Nation will never collect a tax on cigarettes for New York, nation attorney Joe Heath said, but it is willing to negotiate to resolve some of the state's concerns about the regulation of American Indian businesses.

In Maine, state officials are fighting a tax-free smoke shop the Aroostook Band of Micmacs has set up on a tribal land in Presque Isle.  The Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs has sided with the Micmacs in the dispute over tribal sovereignty.

Micmac Chief William Phillips said he got the idea of tax-free smoke shops during his 1999 visit to the Oneida Indian Nation in Verona, N.Y.  he saw how a rural tribe prospered from tax-free cigarettes and gasoline sales, as well as a casino.

New York state's Tax Department issued new proposed regulations concerning the collection of taxes on Indian nations Sept. 12.  But leaders of the six Indian nations that make up the Iroquois Confederacy maintain that treaties with New York bar the state from imposing taxes on Indian land.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: New York
KEYWORDS: antismokers; bans; butts; cigarettes; individualliberty; niconazis; prohibitionists; pufflist; smokingbans; taxes; tobacco
So, if they are forced to pay taxes to the state of New York, they will build a TOLL BOOTH! hehe! Pretty good. They are smart. I never can figure out why a state wants to mess with the Indians!!!!!!
1 posted on 10/2/2003, 2:18:37 AM by SheLion
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To: *puff_list; Just another Joe; Great Dane; Max McGarrity; Tumbleweed_Connection; Madame Dufarge; ...
Puff
2 posted on 10/2/2003, 2:19:02 AM by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: SheLion
Perhaps in the land of smokers, thou with the match are king? (Or queen)
3 posted on 10/2/2003, 2:49:36 AM by BiffWondercat
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To: SheLion
If cigarettes are so awful, why don't they ban them outright? Liberals are so two faced.
4 posted on 10/2/2003, 3:30:06 AM by cyborg (Xtra-strength 10 gauge tinfoil hat)
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To: SheLion
The indian tribes has a whole lot more spunk than do big tobacco. :-}
5 posted on 10/2/2003, 3:30:22 AM by Great Dane (You can smoke just about everywhere in Denmark.)
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To: Great Dane
The indian tribes has a whole lot more spunk than do big tobacco. :-}

Isn't that the truth?

There was a thread posted last year about the tribe in New York. Read Their Lips: No Taxes/New York

They fought hard for this right, which they say has moved their nations from poverty to relative wealth, and have been in and out of court for years over the issue. One main opponent is the New York Association of Convenience Stores, whose members make a lot of money on cigarette sales. Last December, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to a lower court decision granting Indian sovereignty in this matter, seemingly exhausting the association's attempts to force the state to collect the tax from Indian nations. The association is now trying to get federal or state legislation passed to ban what it terms the state's "selective enforcement policy," said James Calvin, the president of the association.

So for now the nations sell legally from their shops, over the phone and via the Internet. Their advertisements, heavily peppered with exclamation points, read, "Stop paying those high retail prices and start saving with Indiansmokesonline!" and "Make Senecasmokes your choice for discount cigarettes, you'll be glad you did!"

When asked how many cartons of cigarettes he sells per month, Chief Wallace, a stocky man wearing two braids, denim shorts and flip-flops, responded, "It's none of your business."

At an average price of $27.50 per carton, Chief Wallace would take in about $520,000.

"We sell to a lot of fixed-income people; you know, senior citizens and veterans on Social Security," said Mike General, manager of JR's Smokeshop II in the Seneca Nation. "They're looking to save money wherever they can, and you can't beat our prices."

6 posted on 10/2/2003, 11:34:11 AM by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: cyborg
If cigarettes are so awful, why don't they ban them outright? Liberals are so two faced.

I've been saying this for months. Take Phillip Morris. I am sure you have seen their TV ad.  They are spewing how bad smoking is and how they are working to "curtail" smoking.  I get so mad I can put my foot through the TV!  If THEY think smoking and tobacco is SO BAD WHY DON'T THEY STOP SELLING CIGARETTES?!

They talk out of both sides of their mouths.  I HATE PHILLIP MORRIS.  They are selling out the smokers but they sure won't get rid of that BIG revenue from us, will they?  They suck!

7 posted on 10/2/2003, 11:37:25 AM by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: SheLion
The liberals know they need the cigarette money to fund their big government boondoggles. They full of crap. There's the NY smoking ban, now where is it? Connecticut? Also, Ireland is going to ban smoking in pubs. GOOD LUCK IRELAND. I hope your tourism plummets like a rock and everyone goes to France. That's not going to go over well with the pub crowd.

I smoke maybe twice a year, but it's really expensive cigars. The folks I met outside on a smoke break are nicer than evil,filthy liberals who lead more disgusting nasty lifestyles than just mearly smoking a cig.

IOW, I agree with your post :-)
8 posted on 10/2/2003, 1:00:09 PM by cyborg (Xtra-strength 10 gauge tinfoil hat)
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To: cyborg
IOW, I agree with your post :-)

Thanks, cyborg! Its just more erosion of our rights. I don't think the Indians are going to go down without a fight.

9 posted on 10/2/2003, 1:02:00 PM by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: SheLion
I have met Chief Wallace. He's a stand-up guy, and he means every single word he said in that article. He will not go down easily.

In other words...Chief Wallace ROCKS.

Regards,
10 posted on 10/3/2003, 3:08:08 AM by VermiciousKnid
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