TRIBE: Not to be challenged?
Apparently it doesn’t matter if a statement is factual, say or print something the Coeur d’Alene Tribe doesn’t like and they’ll demand you publicly apologize for it. At the risk of also being called on the tribal carpet, I’ll state a few facts, starting with the recent Post Falls Press article questioning the Tribe’s required 5 percent donations to educational entities:
Fact 1. Two years ago the Coeur d’Alene Tribe decided to not disclose who they donate money to.
Fact 2. The Press recently contacted five local school districts to find out if they were still receiving Tribal donations.
Fact 3. All five school districts said their Tribal donations for education stopped the same time the Tribe’s non-disclosure went into effect.
Was it wrong to view that as a potential red flag and investigate further? But when The Press did, a public apology was demanded by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
Back in March of this year, Investigative Reporter John Stossel of FOX News also made factual comments that prompted the Coeur d’Alene Tribe (and others) to demand Stossel make a public apology… which he refused to do. Stossel simply stated that no group has had more financial help from the U.S. Government than the American Indians… and that included the Unemployed, the Defense Contractors and even Wall Street.
He went on to give examples that showed some tribes actually prospered more without government aid. Again, factual statements that immediately drew Tribal fire. But Stossel makes a good point. Is financial aid really needed? I agree the need was there when treaties were signed in the 1800s, but would those same treaties be agreed to today? Wouldn’t people agree that the vast majority of American Indian Tribes are more financially sound than most other Americans? However, Tribal income doesn’t only come from the U.S. Government, Tribal casinos, hotels and other business ventures.
I wonder how many Avista customers are aware of the negotiations that took place during the re-licensing of the Post Falls Dam, which were finalized in 2008. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe basically refused to sign-off on the FERC licensing agreement until Avista agreed to pay $150 million over the life of the license. This included $39 million for “past water storage,” and another $29 million for “future water storage.” Apparently “water storage” occurs when the Post Falls Dam is closed and lake surface levels rise to the summer normal elevation of 2,128 feet. When this happens, Lake Coeur d Alene waters will cover more land within their southern 1/3 of the lake and its tributaries. Unbelievable, but true. (See article posted on Indiancountrynews.net, December 2008, “Coeur d’ Alene Tribe and Avista Corporation reach deal” and, pages 15 and 16 of Avista’s final relicensing agreement.)
And who ultimately pays the $150 million? The same article states that Avista “will seek to recover the money from ratepayers.” This “settlement” wasn’t illegal or sinister; it just rubbed me the wrong way. The terms weren’t widely broadcast, but they should have been… because lake levels also increase on the other 2/3’s of Lake Coeur d’Alene, yet none of those waterfront landowners felt compelled to seek “water storage fees” from Avista.
For the record, I salute for Coeur d’Alene Tribe for their development of the Coeur d’Alene Casino, Hotels, Restaurants, Circling Raven Golf Course and agricultural businesses. These venues not only provide great entertainment, but they also created jobs and taxes revenues. I’m simply fed up with the belief that certain Tribal actions must never be questioned or investigated.
STEVE SHAMION
Post Falls