Posted by Eric on Sunday, May 15, 2005 at 10:13AM :
In Reply to: Re: WILLY N RANGE WAR posted by Willy-N on Saturday, May 14, 2005 at 11:02AM :
Yes same here with their tax free cigarette and gas sales, a few are getting rich. But the whole tribe does not benifit. And the Seneca's also have gambling casinos. Which are attracting people from many miles, but again this money does not filter back into the general economy. It has become a very bad situtation for all non-Indians on the Reservation, and population wise there are many more non-indians there. All of this started about 10 years ago when the 100 year old lease ran out. New York State gave the Seneca's 60 million in restitution, and allowed them to raise the lease price 100 fold in many cases. The people of Salamanca tried to fight this. Those that did not pay were evicted from their homes and got nothing, and I mean no severance of any kind. The Salamanca people tried to get the Government to take the 60 million and buy out all that no longer chose to remain on the res. and give the homes and land to the nation. It did not happen that way(which would have been fair). And under the new 40 year lease is when it was declared that you did not own the land or any improvements on it. Of course most non-Indians that this didn't affect sided with the poor down trodden red man. But now that the Cuba NY thing of last week happened(taking back land),People in that area are up in arms. But too late now for despute(legal type) How do they say PRECEDENCE HAS BEEN SET. So Mark my advice is be careful what you allow to happen by turning your head if it does not directly effect you. It will snowball...Joe thanks for all the space Ive used here...to enlighten and warn