Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) MAKES ANOTHER MOVE FOR MORE TAX-FREE LAND

Citizens for Accountable Government (CAG) has just learned that Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has submitted another application to place more land into tax-free trust, in addition to the property adjacent to Stemmer Ridge Road. This is the third chunk of land for which SMSC has applied for tax-free status in approximately the past 12 months. The latest piece is the property on which the golf course is located. The golf course which was operating prior to SMSC ownership is a business that pays city, county, and school board taxes on the property, and state income tax on the business. Now that SMSC owns the property, they want and expect to have it placed in trust to eliminate any of these taxes. Obviously when one group stops paying the taxes needed to support schools, libraries, local and state parks, local and state roadways, local and state courts, etc. etc, someone else has to pick up the slack—in spite of Mayor Hedberg’s claim that there is no impact on taxpayers.

To the best of our knowledge, it is without precedent that the Tribe has submitted 3 different applications for tax-free land in such a short time. It is our suspicion that the support they have received from Mayor Ken Hedberg and City Manager Boyles has been an incentive for them to strike while the iron is hot.