The Cayuga Indian Nation of New York has set July 31 as the deadline for Cayuga and Seneca counties to either accept or reject the proposed settlement over the tribe's property potentially being taken into sovereign trust by the federal government.
The letter was sent Wednesday, June 27 from the tribe's attorney, Daniel French, to Brian Laudadio, the Harris Beach attorney who is representing the counties over the land-in-trust applications.
"As both sides recognize, considerable concessions have been made in this agreement," the Nation's letter said. "On the part of the Nation, it has provided the counties with the opportunity to be the first municipal entity in the country that would share revenue from a gaming facility not within their boundaries as well as veto power over gaming within their boundaries."
Ray Lockwood, R-Aurelius, said media reports were the first he had heard of the deadline. But after hearing from constituents' strong ill-feeling about the proposed settlement, he said he wasn't going to rush into anything.
"We'll vote when we feel it's right," Lockwood said. "I think it's important that we vote on the right agreement not that we vote on any agreement."
"The Nation negotiated in good faith and came to an agreement, both sides -- at least the initial feedback from both sides -- the parties could agree to," French said in an interview Monday. "... The counties have had this proposal for over a month. The Nation has given them another month. The Nation is of the opinion that if they don't give a deadline, they won't vote."
The Cayuga County Legislature did not bring the settlement to a vote at last week's legislature meeting, and the Seneca County Board of Supervisor's Native American Affairs Committee voted against the settlement. But because one supervisor's absence tipped a tied vote into the negative numbers, the proposed settlement could be raised again in Seneca County. Public hearings held in both counties on the proposal involved a landslide of negative commentary on the proposal.
Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Citizen.
"As both sides recognize, considerable concessions have been made in this agreement," the Nation's letter said. "On the part of the Nation, it has provided the counties with the opportunity to be the first municipal entity in the country that would share revenue from a gaming facility not within their boundaries as well as veto power over gaming within their boundaries."
Ray Lockwood, R-Aurelius, said media reports were the first he had heard of the deadline. But after hearing from constituents' strong ill-feeling about the proposed settlement, he said he wasn't going to rush into anything.
"We'll vote when we feel it's right," Lockwood said. "I think it's important that we vote on the right agreement not that we vote on any agreement."
"The Nation negotiated in good faith and came to an agreement, both sides -- at least the initial feedback from both sides -- the parties could agree to," French said in an interview Monday. "... The counties have had this proposal for over a month. The Nation has given them another month. The Nation is of the opinion that if they don't give a deadline, they won't vote."
The Cayuga County Legislature did not bring the settlement to a vote at last week's legislature meeting, and the Seneca County Board of Supervisor's Native American Affairs Committee voted against the settlement. But because one supervisor's absence tipped a tied vote into the negative numbers, the proposed settlement could be raised again in Seneca County. Public hearings held in both counties on the proposal involved a landslide of negative commentary on the proposal.
Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Citizen.
