Gov. David Paterson of Albany New York plans to start a new tax law on reservations. The law requires Native American's cigarettes to be taxed only to non-tribe members. The tax is ONLY on cigarettes however. None of the tax money goes to the Indian tribes on the reservation.
Tribes affected by this new taxation in New York are Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora tribes. Indians are angry about this law because they have treaties and other legal documents stating that they do not have to pay tax on their land. The documents say that it is their land and they are free to do and sell what they want how they want on their land.
PROBING QUESTION: How is this new law going to affect the tribes both emotionally and economically?
Well, first off you did an amazing job presenting your current event. you knew almost every answer to every question. I thought your current event was very interesting. So, there is only a tax on the cigarettes on the reservations or all of New York?
ReplyDeleteI think the tax on the cigarette is good because maybe people will quit smoking. And I disagree with how only the states make the profit. It isn't there cigarettes, it's from the reservations, so the profit should to the tribes. I agree that only non-tribal members have to pay tax because they have to drive a lot of miles to get cigarettes, it's their choice.
ReplyDeletecigarettes are their money maker. I think Kayla makes a good point when the reservation should get a piece of the dough because its them selling the tobacco
ReplyDeleteIt is only on the reservations..but all of the reservations in New York.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kayla and Brian, the state of New York shouldn't be making any money from this. It's the reservation that is selling the cigarettes. And it's not fair because the reservation signed treaties saying they can govern themselves so the state shouldn't be able to step in and change things. The tribes are goign to be emotionally let down because they don't matter enough to people to respect that they can govern themselves. And economically, they will be losing customers and money because people were coming to the reservation because there was no tax.. and no there would be no difference in where they bought their cigarettes.
ReplyDeleteI honestly feel really bad for the tribes. I can't imagine how it must feel to work so hard for money, and then have it taken away from the government from a stupid thing such as taxes. economically, they are going to lose so much money..poor guys. :(
ReplyDeleteAs far as this goes economically, I think that it will realy hurt their business. They will lose everyone outside the reservation coming in to buy cigarettes for cheaper, because those people will have access to the same priced cigarettes at the closest local store. Emotionally, I think that the entire tribe will suffer, because they have been fighting the government, and they have signed treaties so I am not sure why they can't sell their cigarettes how they want. It makes no sense how none of the taxxed money would go to them either, because it is the indians that are losing profits in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThe new law is definitely going to affect the Native Americans emotionally and economically. Emotionally because the cigarettes are now more expensive for them too, so they might not be able to afford them. Quitting smoking is an extremely difficult thing to do and can affect everyone around you. They will be economically affected because people may choose to buy cigarettes at a local store rather than the reservation because it cost them the same, therefore the reservation will lose customers.
ReplyDelete