Indian Country , and not in a good way .”
— Tribal attorney Gabriel Galanda on per-capita payments
American Finance Officers Association ( NAFOA ) meeting April 14-16 in Portland , Oregon .
“ Do per-capita payments provide needed support and help build a local economy or do they undermine culture and tradition by servicing individuals over the community and providing cash payments in lieu of jobs ?” the conference agenda states . “ With the benefit a few decades of experience and hindsight , our panelists will explore the often-contentious issue of distributing revenue to members / citizens .”
NAFOA Executive Director Dante Desiderio , a Sappony citizen , said the per-capita discussion “ should be brought out in the open for leadership to discuss and work together toward a balanced stewardship of a healthy and sustained government while meeting citizen interests .” But the session will be closed to the press . “ That ’ s how sensitive this is ,” says a tribal official who requested anonymity . “ Tribal leaders know they need to talk about it . They ’ re happy NAFOA is taking it up . It ’ s an issue we need to address . But it needs to be discussed in private .”
“ It ’ s a very complicated issue ,” says Rosebud Sioux Joe Valandra , managing director of VAdvisors and former NIGC chief of staff . “ And it becomes very emotional .”
Per-capita Politics and Policy
The emergence of tribal gambling has provided Indian communities with discretionary income , many for the first time in their history . It also has created the need to make major government and public policy decisions .
For example , should casino revenue be used for the welfare of the entire community , building governmental infrastructure , launching business enterprises and providing health care , housing and social services ?
Or should the funds go to individual families who are most in need ? About 40 percent of indigenous Americans live on economically depressed reservations where poverty is rampant and unemployment can range from 40 percent to 60 percent or higher .
“ Per-capita payments help citizens meet urgent needs . Many reservation populations are poor , and individuals and families are chronically short of cash ,” wrote the Native Nations Institute and the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development in a 2007 policy paper .
But “ channeling all tribal revenues into tribal government encourages the idea that it is the government ’ s job to provide for all the needs of its citizens — a form of dependency ,” the report goes on to say . “ Tribal citizens are shareholders in the tribal estate . This is their money . It should be given to them .”
Others argue that jobs , housing , education and health care are items most aptly provided by well-funded and administered tribal government programs .
“ Per-capita payments draw away resources that should be invested in such services , making it harder to provide them to citizens ,” Harvard researchers say .
The per-capita inequality is glaring . Although most tribes keep their financial information a closely guarded secret , the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux per-capita is believed to be approaching $ 1 million a year .
Meanwhile , the Blackfeet Nation in Montana sets aside a $ 75 per-capita payment at Christmas for its 17,000 members to buy presents without going into debt .
The roughly 16,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee receive about $ 12,000 a year . The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians , with about 11,000 members , limit per-capita in their tribal-state compact to $ 1,000 per year .
Disbursements To Minors
Per-capita payments to minors are generally held in trust until the child reaches the age of 18 . Depending on the tribe and amount of per-capita , the person could at that age collect a sizable sum .
Should casino revenue be used for the welfare of the entire community , building governmental infrastructure , launching business enterprises and providing health care , housing and social services ? Or should the funds go to individual families who are most in need ?
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