Apr 11, 2007 — In February, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe came closer than ever to building a glitzy casino in the Catskills. They signed a compact for the gaming resort with Governor Spitzer. At the same time, two of the three Mohawk chiefs signed another document. It was a letter agreeing to pursue a "trade agreement" with New York on the sale of untaxed cigarettes and gasoline on the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation near Massena. The Mohawk chiefs were in Albany last week for talks with Governor Spitzer. As David Sommerstein reports, tribes and non-native business owners across New York are watching carefully.  Go to full article

Jan 11, 2007 — Eliot Spitzer made clear during his campaign for Governor and in his State of the State speech that cutting New York's property taxes is a top priority. At a conference at Albany's Rockefeller Institute, experts agreed that New York's highest in the nation combined state and local taxes are a major problem, and offered some solutions. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Jan 09, 2007 — Martha Foley reports on Governor Spitzer's response to a state court's ruling on a law that would require the state to collect taxes on non-natives who buy cigarettes at native-owned stores.  Go to full article

May 16, 2006 — Voters in New York have the opportunity to vote on their local school budgets today. Schools say extra aid from the Governor and legislature this year have helped keep costs down to property taxpayers. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

May 16, 2006 — Martha Foley has the regional view on today's school budget votes.  Go to full article

May 03, 2006 — As gas prices remain above 3 dollars a gallon across most of the North Country, lawmakers in Albany want to give drivers some relief. They've targeted the 4% state tax on gasoline. But politics as usual is getting in the way. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Aug 02, 2005 — A St. Lawrence County lawmaker is lobbying his colleagues to support what conventional wisdom might consider a doubly unpopular proposition. He wants to increase the sales tax to help pay for a new jail. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Dec 22, 2004 — The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe was awaiting word last night on a request to stay the 22-year old Mohawk land claim court case. The request comes after the traditional government in Akwesasne failed to approve a proposed settlement of the lawsuit, but it did throw its support behind two other tribal councils to pursue the deal. David Sommerstein explains.  Go to full article

Oct 26, 2004 — The St. Lawrence County legislature is expected to oppose a proposed settlement of the 22-year old Mohawk land claim. Legislators complain they weren't consulted before the deal was made public. At a finance committee meeting last night, lawmakers put off taking formal action against the deal. According to the Watertown Daily Times, the full Board will consider a resolution and a list of concerns about the settlement on Monday.
The agreement between three Mohawk councils and Governor Pataki still must be approved by tribal members by referendum on November 27th. The leaders of towns in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties that would be affected by the settlement are also speaking out. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Sep 23, 2004 — When one thinks of business on the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation near Massena, casinos, cigarettes, and gas stations usually come to mind. Because native people are exempt from taxation, those commodities have been rare bright lights in an otherwise bleak economic picture in Indian Country. A new federal tax regulation threatens to devastate Akwesasne's gas station industry. As David Sommerstein reports, it may also endanger a fragile entrepreneurial economy that's sprouting up alongside the mainstays.  Go to full article