The Tulalip tribe's Quil Ceda Village Business Park, a combination casino/shopping mall, may be getting a $2 million annual cut of state sales tax revenue, diverted from Snohomish County, courtesy of the Democrat-controlled state legislature.
Quil Ceda Village asserts its claim on the municipal portion of the sales tax from its legal status as a "municipal body". But unlike a bona fide municipality, it has no residents and therefore no voters. Its "Village Council" is appointed by the Tulalip Tribe. The "Village Manager" is John McCoy, who also happens to be ... Rep. John McCoy (D-Marysville) and who, go figure, doesn't seem terribly interested in being held accountable for how he spends his gift of public funds:
McCoy, whose legislative district contains the Tulalip Reservation, said Quil Ceda Village meetings are open to the public, though he wasn't sure whether the tribes released budget documents and other records. He said the public would be able to tell its dollars were being spent well because of the services the tribes would provide.The enabling legislation, HB 1721, easily passed in the House and is on the way to the Senate floor. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 22, 2005 06:22 PM | Email This
That's exactly what McCoy was before he was a State Rep. His ultra-dem distirct 'almost' voted against him, but Erv Hoglund, a decent, experienced military vet and airline pilot, fell 500 votes short.
Now the rest of the state has to pay for it. Great, huh?
Posted by: Cliff on March 22, 2005 06:46 PMFirst impressions/reactions are a wonderful thing...
Posted by: Huh on March 23, 2005 07:28 AMOh, I see, it is just the cash cow of the village.
In that way the rest of Snohomish County will subsidize them.
On McCoy's second race, he beat a very inexperienced campaigner but extremely energetic Kim Halvorsen. I loved her energy.
Posted by: swatter on March 23, 2005 07:28 AMSorry if I sounded like an arrogant jerk. I have worked with Tribes for 25 years in the area of economic development and have written a book on the subject.
Under the Indian Tribal Tax Status Act of 1984, voted in by a Republican Congress and signed into law by Ronald Reagen tribes were granted the same status as a municpality and able to form muncipal sub units just like Seattle has a sewer district, Quil Ceda was formed under that provision.
In 1986 the US Supreme Court in a case from New Mexico ( I get the cite if you want) ruled that non natives living within the boundries of reservations did not have a right to be represented in tribal government, so the the Tulalips do not have to open their meetings on Quil Ceda to the public.
The land on which the village sits is held in trust for the tribe by the United States and is there not subject to state taxation.
Gary Locke, and Mike Lowery opposed this development for years because it would create an economic development where the sales tax money would go to the tribe and not the state (tribes have the right to levy tax on reservation land since they are governments) so the tribe agreed to pay the state a portion of the sales tax.
What this is a refund of those taxes. The land on which the village is built used to be crime ridden vacant land, and in the early 1980's the state considered trying to force the tribe to allow it to be used for a waste dump.
What I do not understand is this. As conservatives we want people to do well so here is the tribe after years of poverty developing their land and economy through the use of a unique advantage given to them by law and by that most scared of all legal obligations a treaty between governments and now we somehow complain they are ripping us off?
Posted by: Dennis on March 23, 2005 08:07 AMI also feel that it is the US politicians that are at fault, not the Indians. The Indians would be stupid not to take advantage of every legal avenue available. Just as everyone else takes full advantage of every tax deduction/cut made available whether we agree with them or not.
Posted by: Fred on March 23, 2005 08:39 AMYou are right about the contradiction between the status of Indians it has been one of the biggest factors in holding back the economic advancement of tribes as organizations. It is deeply rooted in American jurisprudence going back to the Marshall Supreme Court and has been made worse over the years by other Congressional actions. My theory is that if the state where to work with the tribes in a constructive manner the combination can create an economic powerhouse within the state which will be a win win win situation.
Posted by: dennis on March 23, 2005 09:06 AMI know those of us down here in Clark County can't WAIT for the "economic development" of the Cowlitz Tribe after they ram their superc-asino down our throat.
Sarcasm switch off -
Good catch. Good point.
Posted by: Who.... me? on March 23, 2005 03:52 PMIt is my belief that at some point the politicos will realize that gaming can be a gravy train for awhile and will legalize gaming in places like Ocean Shores, Lake Roosevelt and other tourist hot spots, then we will have little Las Vegas' all over the state.
Posted by: dennis on March 24, 2005 08:13 AM