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Commissioner Gordon urges federal backfill for taxes lost when tribal land goes into trust, suggests tribal ID as voter proof
Summary
At the county commission's March 5 meeting Commissioner Gordon summarized takeaways from the National Association of Counties conference and urged federal action to replace property-tax revenue lost when tribal land is taken into trust; he also said tribal ID should serve as proof of citizenship for voter registration.
Commissioner Gordon told the commission on March 5 that his recent attendance at the National Association of Counties conference in Washington highlighted several federal issues with direct local impact, including transportation funding, disaster policy and emerging uses of artificial intelligence in government services.
Gordon said counties are working with NACo on a federal mechanism to replace property-tax revenue that disappears when land moves into trust. He described the concept as a payment to counties to backfill lost taxes so services on tribal land remain funded. Gordon said the idea is being explored at the national level but has not been finalized.
"It's a policy, maybe a payment that would pay those taxes that we lose to the county to maintain the services for [tribal] lands," Gordon said. He added that the revenue loss from land shifting into trust can compound over time and that the proposed payment would address an ongoing shortfall.
Gordon also raised concern about new voter-registration rules that require proof of citizenship at registration. He said the rules could create practical problems for Native registrants who lack conventional documents and urged that tribal identification be accepted as adequate proof.
"If you have a tribal ID, that should be proof of citizenship," Gordon said.
Gordon reported other conference themes carried home to county work: the continued need to sustain Amtrak and other intercity services, the growing role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity and insurance risk management, and emerging pressures from rising jury awards on liability and settlement funds. He framed these as items county officials will watch or pursue through NACo and other intergovernmental channels.
The commission did not take action on the federal concepts Gordon described; he said the ideas are under study and would require coordination with tribes and federal partners before any local or state legislative steps.
