Wednesday
Apr212010
New Mexico Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Gets Clarification On Tax Exemption
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 1:58PM
By Sofia Sanchez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
New Mexico’s Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) can breathe a little easier now that they know where they stand on taxes after a clarification hearing Wednesday before the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The Indian Pueblo Center Cultural Clarification Act, H.R. 4445, would clear up an inconsistency in Public Law 95-232 under section (b) of the Act.
“It is clear that Congress intended to afford the cultural center trust land with the same exemptions from state taxation and regulation enjoyed by other tribal trust land,” said Ron Solimon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the IPCC. ”But the sentence indicating that the property shall “not” be Indian Country has caused some confusion.”
The IPCC is part of a $5 billion industry in the state of New Mexico. The city of Albuquerque, where the center is housed, takes in $2.5 billion worth of revenue for the state through travel.
Following the hearing, Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) told Talk Radio News Service that passage of H.R. 4445 will greatly benefit members of the state's 1st Congressional District.
“This was a case of trying to fix something that was unintended and the result of court decision to get rid of any ambiguity,” he said. "So it gives them the certainty to continue with their economic development activities on the site and hopefully create jobs in the Albuquerque area.”
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
New Mexico’s Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) can breathe a little easier now that they know where they stand on taxes after a clarification hearing Wednesday before the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The Indian Pueblo Center Cultural Clarification Act, H.R. 4445, would clear up an inconsistency in Public Law 95-232 under section (b) of the Act.
“It is clear that Congress intended to afford the cultural center trust land with the same exemptions from state taxation and regulation enjoyed by other tribal trust land,” said Ron Solimon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the IPCC. ”But the sentence indicating that the property shall “not” be Indian Country has caused some confusion.”
The IPCC is part of a $5 billion industry in the state of New Mexico. The city of Albuquerque, where the center is housed, takes in $2.5 billion worth of revenue for the state through travel.
Following the hearing, Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) told Talk Radio News Service that passage of H.R. 4445 will greatly benefit members of the state's 1st Congressional District.
“This was a case of trying to fix something that was unintended and the result of court decision to get rid of any ambiguity,” he said. "So it gives them the certainty to continue with their economic development activities on the site and hopefully create jobs in the Albuquerque area.”
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