County questions cost of emergency service at tribal casinos

Wednesday, December 19, 2012  

Commissioners in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, are questioning the cost of providing fire and rescue services to tribal casinos, The Albuquerque Journal reports.

The county spends $182,000 a year handling about 250 calls a year at the casino owned by Sandia Pueblo. About 200 calls come in from the casino owned by Laguna Pueblo.

The county can't tax the tribes or tribal-owned property. So some officials are suggesting tribes help pay for the services.

“They’re not taxpayers, but we have a duty to respond to emergency situations on the pueblos,” commissioner Wayne Johnson told the Journal. “It would be not only fair but prudent for them to offset the cost of providing those services.”

Get the Story:
No Tax Revenue For Casino Calls (The Albuquerque Journal 12/19)