Seneca Nation leaders hoping for better relationship with governor

Thursday, January 6, 2011  

Leaders of the Seneca Nation are looking to forge a better relationship with new Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) .

President Robert Odawi Porter attended Cuomo's State of the State address on Wednesday. But he wasn't invited by the governor.

"I'm certainly hoping we see an interest in dialogue," Porter told The Buffalo News.

J.C. Seneca, the co-chairman of the tribal council, also attended the speech. He said tribal-state relations are at an "all time low."

"It's of concern that [Cuomo] really hasn't reached out to the Seneca Nation," Seneca told the paper.

The tribe is fighting efforts by the state to impose a tobacco tax on reservations. Cuomo has said he supports the tax.

Get the Story:
Senecas concerned about early relationship with Cuomo (The Buffalo News 1/6)