Reply With QuoteIn all fairness, if jobs are of great concern, why does the tribe have such poverty? Why is it that they do not actually support and honor their own people?
Jobs On The Line
Seneca Officials Say PACT Act Could Cost 1,000 Jobs
By Sharon Turano, sturano@post-journal.com
POSTED: January 11, 2010
Article Photos
The Seneca Nation of Indians has placed this electronic billboard on the I-190 urging residents to contact Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuch Schumer to vote against the PACT Act.
Submitted photo
Seneca Nation officials think pending legislation before the U.S. Senate will mean the loss of 1,000 jobs, and they want to make sure everyone knows that.
On Tuesday, the Nation unveiled an electronic billboard along the eastbound I-190 warning Western New Yorkers of ramifications of the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act.
"The PACT Act is being portrayed as a tool to fight cigarette smuggling. In reality, it will kill legitimate, treaty-sanctioned Native American commerce, causing significant economic harm," said Seneca Nation President Barry E. Snyder.
The billboard specifically targets Senators Charles M. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, urging them to vote 'no' and calling on area residents to join in the opposition.
"If the PACT Act becomes law, it will prevent all mail-order cigarette sales, and destroy roughly 1,000 native and non-native tobacco industry jobs here in Western New York," President Snyder said. "We applaud the goal of halting rogue tobacco smuggling, but it's wrong to wipe out legitimate jobs in the process," he said.
"Senator Gillibrand supports the legislation because it will end illegal trafficking of cigarettes to minors," said a spokesperson from her office. "She is sensitive to the Seneca Nation's concerns and has been working to address some of those issues," the spokesperson said. Working with other congressman, Senator Gillibrand raised the Seneca Nation's concerns with the bill's author and encouraged "a sit-down," her spokesperson said.
"We strongly believe that cigarettes should not be sold in the mail or anywhere else to children or minors," said Schumer Spokesman Max Young. "We greatly appreciate and have supported the role of the Seneca Nation in economic development in Western New York, and if they can show us a better, transparent and verifiable, way to prevent minors from getting their hands on cigarettes, we would welcome it," he said.
Act sponsor Herbert Kohl, D-Wis., said the act will prevent black market cigarette smuggling and illegal Internet sales he alleges have lined pockets of criminals and terrorists.
In addition to job losses, nation officials have voiced concerns their government will face a loss of revenues if the businesses go under. The nation has a stamping and enforcement mechanism it says ensures compliance with internal regulations including retailer authorization, minimum pricing and a ban on sales to minors. Licensing to retailers is part of the program, with businesses paying the nation for such licensing and enforcement, part of its import/export revenue. Nation officials estimate enforcement of the PACT Act could result in up to a 65 percent loss in import/export revenue, which it uses to fund health and education programs.
The Nation's Foreign Relations Committee has focused attention on defeating the PACT Act, report nation officials. The committee, co-led by nation Council Chairman Richard E. Nephew and Councillor J.C. Seneca, sees a clear reason why the mainstream tobacco corporations, led by Philip Morris, back the PACT Act.
"This is an overt attempt by big cigarette corporations to simply stomp out any market competition and in this case, its big tobacco targeting a single Indian tribe: the Seneca Nation," said Chairman Nephew.
"Tobacco is a legal product and the Seneca Nation regulates and monitors the manufacture and sale of tobacco products consistent with our treaty rights," said Seneca. "Western New Yorkers should be asking senators supporting the PACT Act, especially senators right here in New York State, why are they letting Philip Morris take jobs and money from the Seneca Nation and the Western New York economy? What hurts the Seneca, hurts Western New York," he said.
Sen. Gillibrand's staff reports the Senate is not scheduled to go back into session until Jan. 19, so a vote on the PACT Act is not yet scheduled.
http://www.post-journal.com/page/con...id/548735.html
In all fairness, if jobs are of great concern, why does the tribe have such poverty? Why is it that they do not actually support and honor their own people?
The nation has taken strides to address this issue. The casinos were to help battle this. As far as I know, everyone in the nation receives a certain amount of the casino profits?Originally Posted by shortstuff
http://www.buffaloreuse.org/~kool aid free zone~
They DO however don't forget, the money to build these casinos was borrowed, so they still have to be paid for. I still say you can learn a lot by going HERE http://senecavoice.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html
Nope, keyboard~~they still are selective who receives the money.
NOT true! It IS however true that only enrolled Senecas are eligible. Their children's share, (IF the mother is Seneca), is banked until they reach 18. Because the Senecas are a Matrilineal tribe, only the children born to Seneca mothers are enrolled. Hope this clears that up!
thank you neighbor.
With liquor stores now being open on Sunday, sales of after-shave, cough syrup, and hair spay, must be down significantly near the reservations.
You're welcome!
That's absolutely stupid!
Thank you!
http://www.buffaloreuse.org/~kool aid free zone~
Anytime!
Senecas: PACT Act is economic genocide
Updated: Thursday, 01 Apr 2010, 5:35 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 01 Apr 2010, 5:35 PM EDT
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Cigarettes can no longer be shipped through the mail. President Obama has signed a bill that bans the practice.
Seneca Indians quickly reacted saying the PACT Act will cost the tribe millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs.
On the Seneca Reservation, it's a $300 million business that's now in serious jeopardy. These tax-free cigarettes make up 70 percent of the smokes shipped throughout the country, but on Wednesday, President Obama signed into the law the PACT Act, prohibiting companies from selling cigarettes through the U.S. Mail.
Sally Snow, owner of Wolf's Run, said, "I'm really not surprised because of the fact that this has been happening to us for hundreds of years."
Snow used to sell by mail, but now sells only through her store, Wolf's Run.
"The PACT Act to me is economic genocide against our people," said Snow.
David Grover said, "I think it's not fair to change something that's been set for years. It's taking away something that's been given to them in the first place for what they've done in the past."
President Barry Snyder is out of town, but sent a statement saying the Seneca Nation has been betrayed by President Obama and Congress. This sign along Route 5 in Irving may be a hint of what's to come.
We're told this Railway's Right of Way agreement recently expired and that the Seneca Nation might not be as willing to renew because of the PACT Act. The local delegation in Congress voted for this PACT Act hoping it would curb smoking and keep mail-order smokes out of the hands of minors.
Snow said, "If this was truly about the health of the American people, they would make cigars illegal, but yet the politicians, they left out cigars. You can still mail cigars to people."
This new law takes effect in 90 days and local retailers cannot turn to FedEx or UPS because they had already signed agreement with New York State promising not to ship cigarettes.
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/politic...nomic-genocide
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