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Thread: CITY IGNORING TAX BILLS ON NON-SOVEREIGN SENECA LAND

  1. #1
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    CITY IGNORING TAX BILLS ON NON-SOVEREIGN SENECA LAND

    From: http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/cover10.12.10.html

    DYSTER, CITY IGNORING TAX BILLS ON NON-SOVEREIGN SENECA LAND: School Board Member Destino calls for immediate action
    ANALYSIS By Mike Hudson

    A class action lawsuit, expected to be filed as early as this week against the city, the Niagara Falls School District and the county, charges that uncollected taxes on non-sovereign land belonging to the Seneca Gaming Corp. has had the effect of keeping taxes for other county property owners artificially high almost since the casino opened in 2002.

    "This will affect every property owner in Niagara County," said Niagara Falls attorney John Bartolomei, who will be filing the suit.

    At issue are the tracts of land adjacent to the Seneca Niagara Casino, which is actually owned by the Seneca Nation of Indians rather than the gaming corporation.

    "Land owned by the Seneca Nation is sovereign and therefore not taxable," Bartolomei said. "But land owned by the gaming corporation, like the Hickory Stick Golf Course in Lewiston, should be taxed like any other commercial property."

    Niagara Falls School Board member Johnny Destino concurs with Bartolomei's assessment. More than a month ago, he wrote a letter to the editor of the Niagara Gazette concerning the matter, a letter the Gazette has thus far refused to print.

    "Over the past four years, the city has forgone collecting millions in county, city and school taxes by leaving these valuable commercial properties off the tax rolls," Destino wrote. "Each and every one of us has therefore been subsidizing these properties in the form of higher taxes, and it is time for the city to stop behaving as if they have no recourse. It is time for our leaders to join the fight for us citizens by making sure every property owner in Niagara Falls is paying their fair share."
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  2. #2
    Member justaxme's Avatar
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    New York is dysfunctional and corrupt

    This doesn't surprise me at all. Our professional lifetime politicians say how terrible it is yet do NOTHING. Don't see how locals will be able to do anything when tribes walk all over state and federal government.

    Any politicians objections are just sound bites that make you think they care. Yet they don't. Here's another New York joke:

    "Nozzolio Blasts Feds For Environmental Impact Statement:

    Source: Finger Lakes News Radio

    In response to the federal Environmental Impact Statement (BIA) declaring there would be no significant impact on the region if the Cayuga Indian Nation put their land in Seneca and Cayuga Counties into trust, State Senator Mike Nozzolio blasted the federal government for their reckless disregard of the citizens of the Finger Lakes region."

    What did he expect? It's the Indian Bureau of Indian Affairs. Yet Nozzolio is outraged? Yeah right. THE BIA IS RUN BY INDIANS. Oh yeah, it's election time.

    Just another professional lifetime politician we keep putting back in office because he is "our guy." It's always the other guys that can't resolve this problem after 40 years!!!

    And please, I know Mike. He's a nice guy, but he and all the other professional lifetime politicians have to go because they aren't getting anything done.

    Definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting change. Albert Einstein
    Last edited by justaxme; October 26th, 2010 at 11:34 AM.
    I thought gambling was illegal in NY

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