THE POOSPUTUCK TRIBE, IN MASTIC, AND THE SHINNECOCK TRIBE, IN SOUTHAMPTON, NEW YORK ARE NOT CHARGING ON CIGARETTES, STATE OF NEW YORK OR FEDERAL TAXES IN THE STORES ON THEIR RESERVATIONS. BOTH RESERVATIONS ARE LOCATED IN SUFFOLK COUNTY WHICH IS ON LONG ISLAND, ABOUT 65 TO 80 MILES FROM NEW YORK CITY'S BORDERS..
THE POOSPUTUCK TRIBE IS BEING SUED BY NEW YORK CITY IN FEDERAL COURT, NEW YORK'S EASTERN DISTRICT TO FORCE THE TRIBE (POOSPUTUCK ) TO COLLECT TAXES.
A CARTON OF CIGARETTES IN NEW YORK CITY GOES FOR AROUND SEVENTY ($70.00) DOLLARS. ABOUT HALF OF THIS AMOUNT IS FOR TAXES. NEW YORK CITY CLAIMS THAT THE TRIBAL STORES COST THE CITY ABOUT $185 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
THE CITY ALSO THINKS IT COSTS THE CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK COMBINED A TOTAL IN LOST TAXES OF $720 MILLION DOLLARS. INTERESTINGLY, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT IT WAS GOING TO COST THE MOHEGAN TRIBE TO BUILD EARTH TOWER (PROJECT HORIZON HOTEL.)
NEW YORK CITY SPOKESPERSON, JASON POST, ESTIMATED THAT IN ONE DAY, STORES ON THE POOSPUTUCK RESERVATION SELLS 950 PACKS OF CIGARETTES FOR EACH OF THE ESTIMATED 260 TRIBAL MEMBERS LIVING THERE. THE TOTAL COMES TO AN ESTIMATED 246,600 PACKS OF CIGARETTES A DAY. THAT'S 24,660 CARTONS OF CIGARETTES A DAY. I THINK THE ESTIMATE IS PROBABLY WRONG.
THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG WANTS THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK TO SEND IN STATE POLICE OR THE NATIONAL GUARD TO COLLECT THE TAXES. MAYOR BLOOMBERG SAID, "I THINK THE GOVERNOR SHOULD GO TO THE RESERVATION AND SAY "AS OF THIS MORNING, WE ARE STOPPING THIS PRACTICE, AND IF IT REQUIRES LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS THE STATE POLICE FOR."
COULD IT BE THAT BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, THE CITY AND THE STATE WANT THIS MONEY TO HELP OFFSET THE UPCOMING SHORTAGES IN THEIR BUDGETS?
CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NARRAGANSET TRIBE IN RHODE ISLAND A FEW YEARS BACK. FIFTY STATE TROOPERS (INCLUDED IN THAT NUMBER WERE A K-9 UNIT AND A SWAT TEAM), CAME TO THE RESERVATION AND CONFISCATED ITS' CIGARETTES. IN THE PROCESS I BELIEVE 7 TRIBAL MEMBERS WERE ARRESTED, ONE OF WHICH HAD HIS LEG BROKEN BY THE STATE POLICE.
IF THEY CAN THREATEN OTHER TRIBES ABOUT TAXES, COULD THIS POSSIBLY HAPPEN TO US? THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE AN ABUSE OF POWER BY NEW YORK CITY. THE COLLECTING OF NEW YORK CITY TAXES IN MY OPINION IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY NOT THE TRIBES. IN MY OPINION, THE TRIBAL MEMBERS ARE POOR PEOPLE. THE STORES ARE TRYING TO MAKE SOME MONEY FOR THE STORES AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THEIR TRIBE.
WE SHOULD BE VERY HAPPY WE HAVE A CASINO. WE DO NOT HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT THESE TRIBAL NATIONS ARE ENCOUNTERING.. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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