Supervisors Repeal Tribal Policies That Stop Reservation Expansion

Speaker 1: 00:00 For more than two decades, a single piece of San Diego County land law has prohibited 18 federally recognized tribes from expanding their own reservation. That changed last week when the board of supervisors voted to change the counties fee to trust application process, which enables tribes in the area to purchase back tribal lands, joining me to discuss the implications of this vote is the chairman of the Reen Khan band of Lewis saying yo Indians, Bo Massetti chairman. Massetti welcome. Speaker 2: 00:31 Good to be with you. Speaker 1: 00:32 So can you begin by giving us your initial reaction to this vote? Speaker 2: 00:36 Well, my initial reaction books, they did what was right. However, adding an additional amendment to the original light with you, which is not necessary and something that I don't understand what the supervisor [inaudible] was putting the, that should be the best, you know, does that just apply what to try and buy his lab that everybody gets notified or does that apply to everyone that buys lab all of the surrounding neighbors or property owners you get notified? I just don't understand the rationale. Federal law already requires that public notice it input is required. That's under federal law. It wouldn't be able to purchase some of their own land back. There's a process where the general public has the right to prominence Speaker 1: 01:20 What's been changed. And, and how does it affect the process of land acquisition for tribes in the area Speaker 2: 01:26 What's been trained is since 1994 or the supervisor adopted a resolution that said we shell oppose all purchase of land by drivers in San Diego County. That's what it readily said. But what it turned into was that it just a blanket opposition for any tribes that may purchase their land back, get some land back. So the County opposes any and all purchases by tribes. I need to want to make it clear. There's very few of us in this County tribes that have the economic ability to even buy back some of our land. And that land has to be made available to be purchased, to begin with. I'd like [inaudible] Speaker 1: 02:09 In addition to amending the feet of trust process, the board of supervisors also voted to lift certain restrictions on liquor licenses. Can you tell us how that will affect the counties? Tribes? Speaker 2: 02:20 If a tribe were to secure a liquor license, they would now go through the normal process. It'd be treated like everyone else versus special conditions that were put on. They tried a pled for a liquor license. So now we will be treated like any other individual in the County. If we were to secure or go after a liquor license. Speaker 1: 02:42 Tell us more about this fee to trust application process. I mean, in effect, tribes have been having to buy back land, which has long been considered culturally sacred. Speaker 2: 02:52 That's correct. We just don't go by land. Say the middle of Escondido or any place else. What you'll see is the tribes for the most part buy land that is there every little territory or has significant meaning to the tribe. It's not like the tribe will go on a buying spree doesn't happen. So whether the tribe is able to buy a piece of land that most likely is a joining or pretty close to their reservation, and the process is first, the land has to be completely paid for. So there is no cloud or no obstacles on the title. Once the land is completely clear that in all liens or any kind of, there's no cloud though what they call the title. It's a clean then we've petitioned the tribal petitioned, the Bureau of Indian affairs, the department of the interior and the federal government in general, to take this land into trust and make it part of the reservation. Now what people need to understand. That's the feeder trust process. Once the land is taken into rough status, I to make this clear, the United States government has the title to that land. Not that tribe nine States government owns that land. And the title will read, held in the name of the United States government for the beneficial use of the name of the tribe. In this case for ring con, if we purchased a bland, that's the way the title operates Speaker 1: 04:16 Process was a point of contention for tribal leaders for many years. Why do you think it's taken so long to reevaluate it? Speaker 2: 04:23 I don't think the will was there, but tribes are not doing gaming tribes for the most part are not buying a lot of land. So it was never a big continuing issue every once in a while. So now tribes are just, you've got to realize tribes maybe within the last 10 years are just getting no, but maybe have a gay men facility. They're just getting to where, okay, now we can do other things. The first 10 years were just concentrating on paying and taking care of your facility, your gaming facilities, that business, which is generally, but people need to understand that is our tax space since the United States good but owns the reservation lands. We can't tax it that say tribal government. So our tax base is proceeded from the gaming facilities that run all of our economic development project that runs all of our services. We have to provide to provide water, fire, ambulance services. We need to pay for two deputies, deputy sheriffs that can go any place in the County. So those things are David facilities is our tax base. Do women can understand that Speaker 1: 05:28 I've been speaking with chairman BOMA Zeti of the Reen con band of Lewis saying yo Indians chairman Massetti. Thank you so much for joining us. Speaker 2: 05:37 Well, thank you for the time. Appreciate it.