The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma will pay property taxes on its newly acquired land in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Oneida Nation case.

A lawyer who sits on the tribal council said the decision requires the tribe to pay taxes on a 229-acre farm the tribe bought in its land claim area. An estimated $68,000 is owed, The Syracuse Post-Standard reported.

The tribe will also drop plans to open a Class II facility on the land since it is not in trust. Taking the land into trust could be difficult, since the tribe based out-of-state and the Bureau of Indian Affairs has never ruled on such an acquisition.

Get the Story:
Tribe will pay taxes in Cayuga County (The Syracuse Post-Standard 4/8)

Get the Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation - http://www.oneida-nation.net
NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://doc.narf.org/sc/index.html

Decision in Oneida Indian Nation v. City of Sherrill:
Majority Opinion | Van Graafeiland Dissent

Decision in Cayuga Indian Nation v. Village of Union Springs:
Decision | Order (April 23, 2004)

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