56 Comments
User's avatar
Garry Blankenship's avatar

Legally; I understand the treaty entitled tribes to be sovereign. No different from Mexico or Canada. I suggest we follow our President's example and set similar tariffs and taxation. It is completely without justice or equity that the treaty entitled get free unencumbered access to infrastructure, ( roads, transportation, medical care, sanitation, etc. ), that they never contributed to. Sovereign is sovereign. Treat them accordingly.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

WE could do that if WE were in charge of our gov't.

How far down the slippery slope do we go before ENOUGH people wake up so we can take back our gov't?

I don't know either but 'Frenchie' may have called it.🥸

Expand full comment
Garry Blankenship's avatar

I'm hopeful that the BIA is in DOGE's crosshairs. When they get to the BIA I'm further hopeful that this ancestral birth right discrimination will end.

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

Doge has shut down many BIA agencies, one of them is in Washington State. Who knows with all these counter suits?

Expand full comment
Garry Blankenship's avatar

Great news. Let the carnage of eliminating all these feel good, but accomplish nothing, Governmental parasite agencies continue.

Expand full comment
Diane Maikui's avatar

As long as ozias is making decisions, his decision will always be for the tribe. He's bought and paid for.

Expand full comment
Paul Schmidt's avatar

Is there any remedy available through amending the county charter, Jeff? Something that would compel commissioners to communicate their opposition to these transfers to the BIA?

Expand full comment
Jeff Tozzer's avatar

I've never thought of that! Consider submitting that in written public comment to the Charter Review Commission by filling out this form and it will go to all 15 members: https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/FormCenter/Contact-Forms-4/Contact-the-Board-of-Commissioners-49 or you can send it to loni.gores@clallamcountywa.gov and she will forward it to all 15 commissioners (specify CRC instead of BOCC).

Expand full comment
Billy T Wilson's avatar

Thinking this link should be included in every one of your articles. Always remind people YOU HAVE A VOICE USE IT.

Expand full comment
Paul Schmidt's avatar

Done.

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

Paul is there a way to share the wording you used for your public comment? Not that I will use yours, but I'm not sure on how to phrase mine clearly to get their attention. Thank you

Expand full comment
Paul Schmidt's avatar

Here's what I sent, Jennifer:

"The county charter should require Clallam County commissioners to respond to and ardently oppose any requests by tribes to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place any property in trust. Tribes should pay their fair share of taxes."

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

Thank you Paul! I'm sure it will help not only myself but other people who struggle with IWW - Insecurity of Written Words ; )

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

DONE!

Expand full comment
Paul Schmidt's avatar

Will do.

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

Done.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

They don't have an opposition to it...they are controlled by 'the tribe'😱

Expand full comment
KC's avatar

Charter Commission town hall meeting 3-26 at 5:30 ksqm Sequim

Expand full comment
Jettwomen's avatar

Another outreach would be Emily Randall who sus in the House Natural Resources Committee. An intervention at BIA using the new administration’s promises to lower taxes could stop the faucet at the source.

Expand full comment
Denise Lapio's avatar

Emily Randall voted against the Laken Riley Act and walked out of the President's address to Congress , not acknowledging the young 13 year old who is surviving brain cancer. Be wary of her personal goals, be suspect of her political goals.

Expand full comment
Jettwomen's avatar

Disagreements aside, she needs to hear from all constituents regarding her committee assignments.

Expand full comment
Denise Lapio's avatar

Agreed. I like your tenacity.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

Emily Randall is a leftist communist😱

Expand full comment
Jettwomen's avatar

She needs to hear from all her constituents.

Expand full comment
KC's avatar

Charter Commission town hall meeting 5:30 March 26th ksqm in Sequim. ATTEND!!!!

Expand full comment
MK's avatar

Thanks. Nothing on the County website as of now.

Expand full comment
KC's avatar

Well, it’s probably hidden deep someplace. I know that it’s posted on the county door for notices, and time lapse, I believe Mr. Stoffer is in charge of making sure people know about it.

Expand full comment
KC's avatar

Sorry about time lapse didn’t mean to put that in the paragraph. Oops.

Expand full comment
Eric Fehrmann's avatar

So, if Mr. Stoffer is in charge of notification, we can be assured of TRANSPARANCY.

Expand full comment
KC's avatar

Absolutly

Expand full comment
Denise Lapio's avatar

On my calendar

Expand full comment
Denise Lapio's avatar

Great update, Jeff. I really appreciate your letter to the Commissioners. I will be there tomorrow making public comment about this issue - again! Part 10 now? It's the nickel and diming strategy that creeps up on you, and then you wonder why you're broke.

Expand full comment
Jeff Tozzer's avatar

Looking forward to seeing you and our little "peanut gallery."

Expand full comment
Lloyd's avatar

The game monopoly comes to mind. Except the only ones allowed to move are the tribes. Kinda seems like a roll reversal in the big picture. Indians have the guns. And we have bows and arrows? So thats why they want to ban all the guns.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

Good one!😊

Expand full comment
jeff swegle's avatar

If certain tribes are knowingly-willingly taking properties off tax roll to save $$$ by not supporting infrastructure like other taxpayers and possibly driving taxes up for others then why support their private infrastructures.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

Because a lot of people bow and praise the tribe which can do no wrong and deserve all the reparations they can steal.😊

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

'the tribe' is not really The Tribe...the entity called Jamestown 'Klallam Tribe is a proxy money laundering scheme using 'official' 'native' status to circumvent and literally hijack our gov't.

If anyone is watching the 'auto pen' scandal unfold in D.C. you may quickly come to realize the depth and width of collusion, corruption and devastation which has been wrought on the world using the U.S. Gov't as a weapon of mass distraction and destruction.

Our local politics is not removed or isolated from this PLAN.

'Hold onto your hats and britches folks... we ain't never seen nuthin' like this.'🤪

Expand full comment
Sue Bitterman's avatar

The county commissioners are willing participants with The Tribe. It both keeps them in power and in the shared money exchanges they all have going. I think DOGE will continue diggiing into BIA. A closer look at BIA is long overdue. Money sent out without accountability or audit breeds corruption wherever it happens.

Expand full comment
Randy Walterson's avatar

Thank you Jeff and others for this education !

Expand full comment
Jeff Tozzer's avatar

Thank you all for the comments, that's where I do most of my learning.

Expand full comment
Timothy Weller's avatar

"Stay engaged" from early-on, encourage and gift your passion for knowledge on to your children, and they will likely follow suit. America has become increasing complacent with regard to the liberties we have been bequeathed by those who gave their lives to preserve it; all Americans, regardless of ethnicity or heritage. The problems stem from greedy politicians, often generations deep, who "know the price of everything and the value of nothing." This land is my land, this land is your land...

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

Too soon old...too late smart!🧐

Expand full comment
jeff swegle's avatar

Ignorant lawmakers should have had enough foresight to see the tax damage done when residential properties were allowed to be tax exempt when applied for.Should have only been allowed for undeveloped properties.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

Yeah, apparently all the millions in new and ongoing development in the county isn't going to bring in enough taxes to hold the line, let alone go forward...funny how the more taxpayers involved the more expensive everything gets!

Thought it would be the other way around!🤪

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

So, from what I understand, after this land is converted to trust land, the tribe can then request to convert it to reservation land?

Expand full comment
Jeff Tozzer's avatar

I don't know how that works, Jennifer. I thought the Tribe had to own it for 3 years, but one just got converted 2 1/2 years after purchase. I have a feeling the old rules may have already changed.

Expand full comment
MK's avatar
Mar 17Edited

Just spitballing here ...

I think the rash of conversions we're seeing are directly related to the land in trust rule changes made under Biden in 2023, and the angst Trump might change them again. Notice how long ago some of these purchases were made.

You'll see from this first article some background that sets the stage.

https://indianz.com/news/2017/10/17/tribes-slam-trump-administration-for-see.asp

Here's a good article on the 2023 changes.

https://www.naco.org/news/us-bureau-indian-affairs-unveils-new-final-rule-tribal-land-trust-process

Expand full comment
Jennifer's avatar

MK thank you for those articles, very interesting. I was trying to find information on land acquisitions when it goes from fee=trust=reservation. IDK, but as you stated Trump has probably slowed down the process, we'll see what departments are being "chainsawed" as we speak.

Expand full comment
Robert's avatar

Those with the biggest checkbook apparently write the rules...or can afford to violate them without repercussions! Say it isn't so!😱

Expand full comment
Timothy Weller's avatar

"... Those with the biggest checkbook", deposits being made from other's earned values...

Expand full comment
John Worthington's avatar

Proof positive of the "compensation mechanism" at work.

Expand full comment
Richard H Anderson's avatar

Consider this, you have according to raw 84.64 three yes to pay your property taxes, consider putting them in high yield mm account for three yrs and start cutting off there life line.

Expand full comment
Sqwimmer's avatar

It may be a stretch, but is there any attorney familiar with the "Takings Clause" of the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution that could apply here? By taking these properties and allowing the tribe to remove them from the tax rolls harms the taxpayers who become burened with additional taxes? Asking for a friend :))

Expand full comment