Jealousy

Lynn J. of Richfield has a problem with my neighbors.

Congratulations to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community again on its
generous gift to the Gophers football stadium.

If one thinks this through -- with the tribe making between $600 million and $1 billion a year and contributing $21 million a year on average, the tribe contributes at best 3 percent of its untaxed income each year total to its select causes.

Compare that with the average citizen who pays income taxes, real estate taxes, sales taxes, fees, licenses, etc., that the casino and tribe are exempt from. In my case, these taxes and fees easily add up to 50 percent or more of my income.

Who among us would not trade the right to donate 3 percent of our income (plus free PR and advertising) in exchange for paying nothing to the government?

When one looks at these kind of figures, one has to think that it's time to open up a state-run, regulated, taxpaying casino. Our roads, our schools and our overburdened taxpayers would all benefit. Perhaps it's time we let the taxpayers
of Minnesota vote on this.

Obviously Lynn does not live in the Savage Lands. If she did, she would have what I have here in my hot little hands. Let's take a look at the 2006 Annual Donation report that the SMSC sent to their neighbors.

They donated roughly $14 million to several different tribes in the area including the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Standing Rock Sioux and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. This money was used for a variety of community service projects like wellness centers, domestic violence shelters and energy assistance and veterans assistance! They donated 86 defibrilators - 66 of which went to the State of Minnesota for State Patrol Cars. They have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities like The American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the Minneasota Zoo, Loaves and Fishes amd more. They donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to educational organizations, churches and college funds.

They have given millions of dollars to various Scott County Governmental organizations including roughly $300,000 annually to the City of Prior Lake for police and fire assistance, approximately $2 million toward repairs on County Road 82 and other county road repairs for roads leading into the reservation.

They employ 4100 Scott County residents making them the largest employer in the county. They have their own fire department, public works department, day care center, hotel, convenience store, health club, golf course and numerous other small businesses on the reservation!

All in all charitable donations from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community totalled just over $18,000,000 in 2006. These are normal "annual" contributions so you add that to the $21 million that they gave to the U and it is a wee bit more than 3 percent!

All in all the SMSC has given back over $75 million to the Community in the last 9 years Lynn! So the next time you want to go off on how the Tribe is not contributing "their fair share" (being the filthy "rich" that they are) maybe you should take a look at their donation report and requirements before you speak.