The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma has said it wants to be a partner with Cayuga County communities looking to help this region grow economically.
But isn't a partner supposed to be open and honest?
The disclosure last week that the tribe has applied for federal trust status on the 229-acre farm it owns in Aurelius for the purpose of gaming should trouble the local officials who have thus far supported the casino proposal in Auburn.
When the Seneca-Cayugas and Auburn Mayor Tim Lattimore unveiled their casino project - and then pushed through a divided city council vote supporting the measure - we didn't know the tribe had already applied for sovereign status in Aurelius. And it seems local elected officials, at least the ones opposed to an out-of-state tribal casino, didn't know either.
This land-in-trust application was made in April. The public is learning about it in September. That's an inexcusable gap, especially considering the promises the tribe has made in the period in between. (It's also inexcusable that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs doesn't notify local officials about these proposals for months.)
Remember, the Seneca-Cayugas have said they want to build the casino in Auburn. But if they gain sovereign status via land-in-trust approval on Aurelius land they've already owned, what would stop them from shifting to that site?
They might even like to build two casinos in the county.
And what about their promises to pay property taxes? Up to this point, the tribe has said it would pay local property taxes on a casino site in Auburn. Would they extend the same promise on the 229 acres down the road in Aurelius, or would that just be a giant chunk of revenue taken away from the town, county and school district?
If the Seneca-Cayugas want to pursue trust status in Aurelius, then local officials should put the Auburn casino project on hold. It would be horribly imprudent to make any deals until issues in Aurelius are resolved.
The disclosure last week that the tribe has applied for federal trust status on the 229-acre farm it owns in Aurelius for the purpose of gaming should trouble the local officials who have thus far supported the casino proposal in Auburn.
When the Seneca-Cayugas and Auburn Mayor Tim Lattimore unveiled their casino project - and then pushed through a divided city council vote supporting the measure - we didn't know the tribe had already applied for sovereign status in Aurelius. And it seems local elected officials, at least the ones opposed to an out-of-state tribal casino, didn't know either.
This land-in-trust application was made in April. The public is learning about it in September. That's an inexcusable gap, especially considering the promises the tribe has made in the period in between. (It's also inexcusable that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs doesn't notify local officials about these proposals for months.)
Remember, the Seneca-Cayugas have said they want to build the casino in Auburn. But if they gain sovereign status via land-in-trust approval on Aurelius land they've already owned, what would stop them from shifting to that site?
They might even like to build two casinos in the county.
And what about their promises to pay property taxes? Up to this point, the tribe has said it would pay local property taxes on a casino site in Auburn. Would they extend the same promise on the 229 acres down the road in Aurelius, or would that just be a giant chunk of revenue taken away from the town, county and school district?
If the Seneca-Cayugas want to pursue trust status in Aurelius, then local officials should put the Auburn casino project on hold. It would be horribly imprudent to make any deals until issues in Aurelius are resolved.