NY Gov. starting a tax war with Native Americans

[morningstar55]

Gov. Paterson Thursday warned of possible "violence and death" as a result of his plan to collect a $4.35-per-pack tax on smokes sold by American Indian stores.

"There will be quite an uprising and protest to this, but I am going to maintain this policy," Paterson told WOR-AM.

"This is a very dangerous situation," the governor said. "There is - I think - a high alert. The state police tell us over and over again that there could be violence and death as a result of some of the measures we're taking."

Previous attempts to impose the cigarette tax - under governors Mario Cuomo and George Pataki - led to protests that sometimes turned ugly.

In 1997, American Indians burned tires on the New York State Thruway - and shut down a 30-mile stretch of the highway.

Some troopers were hurt in scuffles during the demonstrations, but there was no record of any deaths or serious wounds, state cops said Thursday.

A spokesman declined to say if the state police would ramp up security in anticipation of problems when the tax goes into effect next Wednesday.

"We won't speculate about any potential for protests," Sgt. Kern Swoboda said. "Are we trained to deal with riot control and other situations like that? Absolutely."

While Seneca Indian Nation President Barry Snyder called for nonviolence, other members of the 7,000-strong nation vowed to do whatever necessary to block the Sept. 1 start of tax collection.

"Let's start setting up some fires here and there just to let the public know that we are serious and we are ready to battle if this is what it is going to come to," read one post on the Seneca Voice blog.

"I don't want violence, as our way is to be of peace, but if the state of New York wants our money, if they want our freedom then let them come in and get it."

A Seneca spokeswoman said the blog is not officially sanctioned by the tribe.

The American Indians claim they are sovereign nations, citing 18th century treaties, and therefore free of any state-imposed taxes.

The state expects to generate an additional $200 million a year through the tax, which applies only to cigarettes sold by the tribe to non-Indian customers.

Tribe members can still buy the cigarettes from reservation stores without paying the extra tariff.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/..._fretting.html

[waxnrope]

Thanks for sharing this, Morningstar55. It dovetails, in its own way, the discussions on the race and racism thread, IMO.

[Rockinonahigh]

I do hope the violence dosent happen,if they r going to tax ciggys they shoould tax across the bord.Im a life long smoker who has quit because of the cost + of health reasons(asthma) so if I can quit anyone can,beleave me its wasnt easy...nicotine is a wicked bitch..it kills and dosent care who dies from it the smoker or someone near by.What took the place of ciggys..red hotts candy..works just fine.Hear ciggys went up to $7.00 bucks a pack and steady going up..I refuse to see $$$ go up in smoke with nada to show for it but an empty pacl to put in the trash.I was two packs a day wich means I spent $98.00 a week on ciggys..figure it up over a year...$5.096.00..yeah lotta money that can go for better things.

[morningstar55]

Originally Posted by Rockinonahigh

I do hope the violence dosent happen,if they r going to tax ciggys they shoould tax across the bord.Im a life long smoker who has quit because of the cost + of health reasons(asthma) so if I can quit anyone can,beleave me its wasnt easy...nicotine is a wicked bitch..it kills and dosent care who dies from it the smoker or someone near by.What took the place of ciggys..red hotts candy..works just fine.Hear ciggys went up to $7.00 bucks a pack and steady going up..I refuse to see $$$ go up in smoke with nada to show for it but an empty pacl to put in the trash.I was two packs a day wich means I spent $98.00 a week on ciggys..figure it up over a year...$5.096.00..yeah lotta money that can go for better things.

I really dont think this is a race issue I think its just NY goverment being greedy.. not to mention that Gov Patterson is legaly Blind...
I hear ya on the $$ part Rock..... i dont smoke... everyone in my family does except me and 1 brother..... I have 4 brothers.
but this is not just about the expense of cigg's alone..... this is all about how the Governor of NY state and what he is trying to push on the Native Americans there..... ya know they tried this with them in the 80's which caused the closing of a major interstate that goes thru there land...... plus that interstate is a TOLL road..... gawwd. that NY is getting money from.
I think the Native Americans there ought to set up there OWN toll booths.
im having a hard time finding some news from when there was a huge up rising bk in the 1980's and the closing of the interstate..
here's a link about it.....

http://www.tobaccobymail.com/PATAKI.htm

[The_Lady_Snow]

Unfortunately MS it is about racism as well, look how this person has depicted and emphasized the *violent outbreaks*

So in the article that is mentioned to induce fear that rioting will likely happen.

Cause yanno any other skin color than white riots.....

[morningstar55]

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

Unfortunately MS it is about racism as well, look how this person has depicted and emphasized the *violent outbreaks*

So in the article that is mentioned to induce fear that rioting will likely happen.

Cause yanno any other skin color than white riots.....

..... but ummm .... the governor is black....
for me i dont care what the skin color is as long as they do right by the people.
I do hear ya Lady.....
my family is kinda mixed...
my niece and nephew are Native American

[waxnrope]

Like closing the interstate is a violent act

[Medusa]

Native Americans should set up toll booths on every road in this country considering we are all using land that belonged to them in the first place.