smok signflz
JUNE 1, 2019
3
Tribe opposes plan to eliminate gaming
losses as an Oregon state tax deduction
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
June
• Wednesday, June 12 – Tribal Council meeting, 5 p.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, June 12 – Community Input meeting, 5:30 p.m., Tribal
gym, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2250.
• Thursday, June 13 – Community Development/Housing Home Own-
ership community meeting, 6 p.m., Tribal Community Center, 9615
Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2401.
• Wednesday, June 26 – Tribal Council meeting, 5 p.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, June 26 – Family Night Out, 4:30 p.m., Governance
Center campus, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2034.
• Sunday, June 30 – Tribal Council nominations, 11 a.m., Community
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
July
• Thursday, July 4 – Independence Day. Tribal offices closed.
• Wednesday, July 10 – Tribal Council meeting, 5 p.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Thursday, July 11-Sunday, July 14 – Veterans Summit & Marcellus
Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow. Uyxat Powwow Grounds, 9600
S.W. Hebo Road. 541-480-5932.
• Friday, July 12-Sunday, July 14 – Elders Marketplace, 10 a.m. to 6
p.m. Spirit Mountain Casino, 26820 S.W. Salmon River Highway. 503-
689-5005.
• Wednesday, July 24 – Tribal Council meeting, 5 p.m., Governance
Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
• Wednesday, July 24 – Tribal Council Candidates Forum, 6 p.m., Tribal
Community Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. 503-879-2304.
Lamprey harvesting schedule announced
The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife set the lamprey harvest season
at Willamette Falls from Saturday, June 1, through Wednesday, July 31.
Harvesting is allowed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays through Mondays.
Harvesting is prohibited Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Harvesting is restricted to the east side of Willamette Falls and does not
include the Horseshoe Area at the peak of the falls. Gear is restricted to
hand or hand-powered tools only.
A permit is required, but Tribal members are allowed to use their Tribal
enrollment card in lieu of a state-issued permit. In addition, Tribal members
can harvest for distribution to other Tribal members. However, the distribution
must be done without charge.
Harvests must be recorded on an ODFW harvest card available from the
Grand Ronde Natural Resources Department or by contacting the Clacka-
mas ODFW Office, 17330 S.E. Evelyn St., Clackamas. Harvest cards must
be filed by Aug. 31.
People planning on harvesting lamprey should stop by the Natural Re-
sources office off Hebo Road and pick up an information packet.
For more information, call 503-879-2376.
Official Tribal Facebook pages
• Smoke Signals: www.facebook.com/SmokeSignalsCTGR/
• Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde: www.facebook.com/CTGRgov
• Grand Ronde Tribal Council: www.facebook.com/
TheConfederatedTribesOfGrandRondeTribalCouncil
• Grand Ronde Health & Wellness: www.facebook.com/GRHWC
• Spirit Mountain Community Fund: www.facebook.com/
SpiritMountainCommunityFund
• Youth Education: www.facebook.com/
CTGRYouthEducation
• Grand Ronde Station: www.facebook.com/
GrandRondeStation
• Grand Ronde Royalty: www.facebook.com/
CTGRRoyalty
• Community Garden: www.facebook.com/
GrandRondeCommunityGarden
• Food Bank: www.facebook.com/GrandRondeFoodBank
• Youth Council: www.facebook.com/CTGRYouthCouncil
• Social Services Department:
www.facebook.com/CTGRSocialservices/
• Children & Family Services: www.facebook.com/CTGRCFS/
• Grand Ronde Higher Education: www.facebook.com/
Grand-Ronde-Higher-Ed
• Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department: www.facebook.com/
Grand-Ronde-Tribal-Police-Department
• Grand Ronde Cultural Education: www.facebook.com/
Grand-Ronde-Cultural-Education
SALEM – The Grand Ronde
Tribe, as part of the Oregon Tribal
Gaming Alliance, is opposing a
legislative move to eliminate the
tax break that allows gamblers to
deduct losses from wagering trans-
actions from their taxable income.
Currently, Oregon gamblers can
deduct gambling losses up to – but
not more than – the amount of
money they win by gambling. The
tax break costs the state almost
$6 million a year, according to the
Legislative Revenue Office.
The state deduction resembles
a similar incentive offered by the
Internal Revenue Service.
Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris
Mercier, Tribal lobbyist Justin
Martin and Spirit Mountain Casi-
no General Manager Stan Dillon
attended a House Revenue Com-
mittee hearing on Monday, May 13.
“This is a very sharp impact on
Indian Country,” Martin said. “The
reality is the money from those cus-
tomers goes toward us being able
to provide essential governmental
services.”
“It would be a true disincentive
to play,” Dillon said. He added that
high-stakes players factor in their
ability to deduct losses on their
tax returns when they decide how
much to wager.
“(Oregon Tribal Gaming Alliance)
requests that the Legislature slow
down and take a look at what the
true impacts of SB 212A will be on
our casino patrons, and ultimately
Oregon Tribes,” Mercier said. “Tax-
ing a player’s winnings without cred-
iting his or her losses will drastically
increase how much a player is out of
pocket. This will reduce the player’s
future play and consequently Tribal
revenue. The impact on Tribal com-
munities will be significant.”
The Tribal representatives also
complained that there was no gov-
ernment-to-government consulta-
tion regarding the proposal or its
potential effects on Oregon’s nine
federally recognized Tribes.
“We are hopeful that you as a
champion of the government-to-gov-
ernment process will listen and
look closely at our concerns before
moving forward,” stated a letter
from OTGA Chair Gary George to
House Speaker Tina Kotek. “We
see SB 212A as essentially a pass-
through tax that takes revenue
away from Tribes, affecting Tribes’
ability to provide essential govern-
mental services. All of Oregon’s
Tribes continue working toward
self-sufficiency, including funding
programs such as health care, hous-
ing, education, natural and cultural
resources, and public safety. Tribal
gaming revenue is key to Oregon’s
rural economy.”
Senate Bill 212 narrowly passed
the Oregon Senate in March. Law-
makers on the House Revenue
Committee did not take action after
the public hearing on May 12.
Name changes in court
Tribal Court provides both minor and adult name changes to enrolled
members for a filing fee of only $30. If you have any questions or would
like to request a packet, contact Tribal Court at 503-879-2303.
Community Input meeting
The Grand Ronde Tribe’s annual Community Input meeting on
programs and projects will be held at the Tribal gym on Wednesday,
June 12, starting with dinner at 5:30 p.m. (roast beef in gravy, mashed
potatoes and salad) After a brief introduction, the meeting mostly
involves visiting open house tables with their posters and photos on
programs and projects and providing your comments. Open house
tables will include:
• Community Development Plan
• Tribal Transportation Plan – Improvement Projects – maps &
photos
• Creekside Elders Community, home ownership, apartments &
workforce housing, maps, floor plans, photos
• Behavioral Health Addition project under construction – floor plans
& photos
• Early Childhood Education Building Addition Completion - floor
plans & photos
• Procurement & Information Services building project (diagrams)
• Plans for new Grand Ronde-Dallas bus route and local Grand Ronde
connector
• Geographic Information System: UAV drone and drone pilot
• Other department/program tables will include Social Services,
Health & Wellness, Dental, Education, Cultural Resources, Social
Services, Police, Emergency Management, Food Pantry and Rec-
reation, Hunting & Fishing.
The meeting will end with door prizes including a Pendleton blanket.
This meeting is offered as an opportunity for members to provide
comments and suggestions that will help guide Tribal programs and
grant applications (i.e. ANA, ICDBG, CCDF, Head Start, CSBG and
others). Those unable to attend can submit written comments and
suggestions to Kim Rogers, Planning & Grants manager, Confederat-
ed Tribes of Grand Ronde, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR
97347. For additional information, contact Rogers at 503-879-2250.
