Sioux Tribe settles tax debt with IRS, buys back land

By Josh Verges, Argus Leader
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe has settled its tax debt with the IRS and lined up a loan that will enable it to buy back the 11 square miles of land the IRS sold at auction in December, the tribal chairman said.

A stipulation filed in court last week indicates the tribe will dismiss its lawsuit, which sought to prevent the IRS from selling the Hyde County land. That will cancel a May 4 trial.

The IRS took the unusual step of seizing and selling the land because the tribe refused to pay $3.12 million in employment taxes, penalties and interest it racked up since 2001.

At $2.58 million, the winning bid did not fully satisfy the debt. But tribal chairman Brandon Sazue, who met with government officials in Washington last week, said the IRS is forgiving what's left.

"We don't owe the IRS anything at this point in time, as long as we drop the lawsuit," Sazue said.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice's tax division acknowledged a deal was struck but could not provide any detail.

"We were glad we were able to reach an amicable resolution of the case," Charles Miller said.

The next step for the tribe is buying back the land; the auction sale came with a provision that the tribe had 180 days to do so.

Sazue said the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux in Minnesota have agreed to loan the Crow Creek Sioux $3 million to buy the land. Shakopee Mdewakanton spokeswoman Tessa Lehto could not confirm the loan.

The Crow Creek also are working with the government to make sure they don't get in tax trouble again. The tribe's written complaint in the court file says they weren't paying taxes because the Bureau of Indian Affairs wrongly advised them they were exempt.

Sazue said he wants to set up a mechanism that subtracts taxes from tribal councilors' paychecks.

The chairman said he is excited to put the tax problems to rest and get back the land.

Sazue spent three weeks on the land in December fasting and praying in protest of the IRS action. "If I hadn't set my trailer up there I don't think we'd be where we are today," he said.

no one should be having to pay for land to begin with...

or illegal TAXES either... I am deeply ashamed to have to buy back what already belongs to us.

The true measure of a People and their level of "civilization" is indicated by how they treat those over whom they hold a distinct advantage. When the european People first arrived upon this continent more than half died in the first year... and so they were looked upon as pitiful and were given food stamps and taught how to build proper shelters, and to grow crops that would survive in this hemisphere. Yet when the tables were turned and european diseases, not military or any other superiority, had decimated the populations of First Nations Peoples we were introduced to genocide, biological wafare, removal from homelands, forced assimilation of hundreds of thousands of First Nations children, theft of lands, destruction of languages and cultures. So what does all that say about the People of the united states?

We musn't forget over half of the United Snakes energy use/theft is from DLN akota lands.

Indeed it is true neerdaels. There were many Nations counting on us to stand strong in the face of the united states government and these illegal employment taxes. We have failed the People of Dakotah Oyate and the People of First Nations.

I for one am all for the concept of peaceful relations, make no mistake though every day is a good day to die for me, but not when those relations lead to theft of Dakotah Oyate resources and the subjugation and destruction of our Dakotah
Culture.. Seriously what is the united states army corp of engineers doing with the power generated from five dams when the People whose land those damns are built... pay higher electric rates 1/3 higher than even the poor of inner citites.

the thing is, that same theft mentality has spread from native peoples to all of the inhabitants of this country. They think..."if we could do it with the indians, why not everyone else"

Think on it...

How many taxes were there before the 1930's?

First they steal land,then tax you for living on it.If it were'nt all so symptomatic of the deeper tradgedy,it would be laughable.

Seriously how many times can you steal a piece of land???? I don't know either but i bet uncle sam does.

!

"Sazue said the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux in Minnesota have agreed to loan the Crow Creek Sioux $3 million to buy the land. Shakopee Mdewakanton spokeswoman Tessa Lehto could not confirm the loan."

If indeed this loan does take place it should serve as an example among the nations
for those better off financial to assist those who aren't. I'm thinking too that with the
stipulation that the suit be dropped the IRS felt the possibility it would win might be
be iffy.

Which is precisely why paying the IRS is another defeat for the People. I say give it all to them at least that way they won't be bothering us anymore because there will be nothing left to steal... except our lives and we all know how much those are worth.