Economic Impact of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
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Economic Impact of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Jonathan B. Taylor The Taylor Policy Group May 2017 sqwed (Snoqualmie Falls) Findings in Brief As reservations have become more economically dynamic, As its purchasing and payroll extend outward, the Snoqualmie nearby non-Indian communities have benefitted—both the trad- Tribe is responsible for an estimated 1,628 jobs in the Cities of ing partners who provide workers, goods, and services to reserva- Snoqualmie and North Bend, up to almost 2,500 jobs statewide, tions and the governing partners who coordinate the regional pro- and estimated gross regional product impacts of $209.1 and $285.2 vision of public goods and services with tribal governments. million, respectively. The Snoqualmie Tribe’s status as a recognized and organized The gross regional product impact includes tax impacts caused sovereign government bolsters its economic impact. Its enterprise when purchases and payroll ripple through the state-taxable econ- income is government revenue, giving the Tribe a vested interested omy. Snoqualmie Tribe activity yielded estimated taxes of $33.4 in the economic stability of the region. million in the Snoqualmie Valley Study Region, $38.4 million in King County, and $44.9 million statewide in 2015. Under the direction of the General and Tribal Councils, Tribal managers implement Snoqualmie policy across a range of domains The Snoqualmie Tribe is a regional export engine. More than similar the state and federal governments’, but also particular to 80 percent of the Casino’s slot machine revenue recorded in the Snoqualmie’s mission to “provide traditional, social, cultural, eco- player loyalty club comes from outside Snoqualmie Valley. Only five nomic, and natural resources for all Snoqualmie people.” percent of that revenue comes from North Bend and Snoqualmie, compared with 39 percent coming from Seattle, Bellevue, and In fiscal year 2015, Snoqualmie Casino employed 1,568 Renton. workers (95% of whom were non-Indian) and paid $65.5 million in total employee compensation From 2010 through 2015, the Snoqualmie (wages, benefits, and payroll taxes). Tribe gave $5.3 million to local nonprofits, span- ning domains as diverse as health, youth and In fiscal year 2015, Snoqualmie family, the environment, the arts, and pub- Tobacco Company and Liquor Store paid lic broadcasting. The Tribe has directed almost $1 million in total employee com- nearly 25% of its contributions to organi- pensation (wages, benefits, and payroll zations in or near the Snoqualmie Valley. taxes). Multiple intergovernmental agree- The combined 1,760 jobs of gov- ments mean that the Tribe jointly bears ernment, casino, and store operations the costs of economic development with make the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe one other governments, and its charitable and of the major employers of the Snoqualmie programmatic contributions in the region Valley. further bolster its economic impact. Economic Impact of the Snoqualmie Tribe 3 I. Introduction Indian Country today bears the imprint of history—the leg- partners who provide workers, goods, and services to reservations acy of conflict endured, of treaties made and broken, and of gov- and the governing partners who coordinate the regional provision ernment promises unfulfilled. Indians living on reservations earn of public goods and services with tribal governments. In place after incomes that are fractions of what other Americans enjoy, and they place, American Indian economic development has created bene- carry financial, social, and cultural costs that few other American fits off the reservation. communities do [1,2]. History matters—still. This is a story of just such a resurgence—the recent economic But Indians are making history too. As never before, tribes are history of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. It is a story of persistence, 200 Gaming Compact with State of Washington Approved Reservation Established resurgent. Indian self-determination has yielded economic growth, achievement, and generosity. Most of all, it is a story of economic cultural revitalization, and—increasingly—social recovery and growth with impacts that extend to the nearby Cities of Snoqualmie repair. As reservations have become more economically dynamic, and North Bend and to the Snoqualmie Valley generally. 999 Snoqualmie Federal Casino Opens nearby non-Indian communities have benefitted—both the trading Status Restored Cigarette Ta Compact Between Snoqualmie and Washington 9 Snoqualmie Indian 93 BIA roposed Claims Commission Decision 9 Indian Self-Determination Snoqualmie Tobacco Company a Reservation and Education Assistance Act and iquor Store Opens 9 Snoqualmie Tribal Government 199 First Written Treaty of Point Elliott Reorganiation Constitution 93 Snoqualmie 9 Indian Gaming Fuel Ta Agreement Between Recognition ost Regulatory Act Snoqualmie and Washington 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 Removal, Reservation, and Treaty Era Allotment and Assimilation Era Reorganization Era Termination Era Self-Determination Era - -93 93-93 93-9 9-resent 4 Taylor 2017 As reservations have become more economically dynamic, nearby non-Indian communities have benefitted. 200 Gaming Compact with State of Washington Approved Reservation Established 999 Snoqualmie Federal Casino Opens Status Restored Cigarette Ta Compact Between Snoqualmie and Washington 9 Snoqualmie Indian 93 BIA roposed Claims Commission Decision 9 Indian Self-Determination Snoqualmie Tobacco Company a Reservation and Education Assistance Act and iquor Store Opens 9 Snoqualmie Tribal Government 199 First Written Treaty of Point Elliott Reorganiation Constitution 93 Snoqualmie 9 Indian Gaming Fuel Ta Agreement Between Recognition ost Regulatory Act Snoqualmie and Washington 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 Removal, Reservation, and Treaty Era Allotment and Assimilation Era Reorganization Era Termination Era Self-Determination Era - -93 93-93 93-9 9-resent Economic Impact of the Snoqualmie Tribe 5 WASHINGTON Treaty of Point Elliott Cession, 1855 I-5 II. Snoqualmie Self-Government Snoqualmie Reservation (proposed 937) The Snoqualmie—the People of the Moon—are one of the from historic times to the present. The Tribe strove quickly to make many tribes constituting the Coastal Salish of Washington’s Puget up for lost time. It reformed its constitution to better describe its Snoqualmie Territory Sound region. Snoqualmie Falls, one of many sacred sites, is the membership criteria and the rule of law, including how to resolve birthplace of the Snoqualmie people and central to their spiritual disputes. Snoqualmie has a General Council comprising all citi- traditions. Since time immemorial, Snoqualmie people hunted deer, zens, the adults of which can vote. The Tribe’s nine-member Tribal Seattle I-405 elk, and other game, fished for salmon, and gathered berries and Council governs the Tribe on a day-to-day basis using enumerated Judicially Established Snoqualmie Land, 1978 plants for sustenance and medicine throughout the region. powers that range from buying land and levying taxes to chartering corporations and promoting public health. In The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe’s pow- 2006, the United States proclaimed an ini- ers of self-government are among the hard- Snoqualmie’s status as a tial reservation of 55 acres—land the Tribe Snoqualmie est-won in Indian Country. Snoqualmie leader recognized and organized had to purchase itself. And in November Indian I-90 Patkanam signed the Point Elliott Treaty in sovereign government 2008, the Tribe successfully opened the I-90 1855, ceding aboriginal lands to the US Snoqualmie Casino, which has since become Reservation, 2006 Government while reserving certain treaty bolsters its economic impact. an economic engine for the Tribe and a major rights. During this time, the Tribe was one source of jobs and opportunity for the region. of the largest in the Puget Sound region with I-5 about 4,000 members. The US government promised the Tribe that The Snoqualmie Tribe’s status as a recognized and organized it would one day receive its own reservation. But that promise, like sovereign government bolsters its economic impact. Its enterprise so many others, was never kept. A Snoqualmie reservation was pro- income is government revenue, giving the Tribe a vested interested I-82 posed in 1937 but never came to be. Many Snoqualmie stayed in the in the economic stability of the region. The Snoqualmie People area, but some moved to other reservations around Puget Sound. have lived in the Snoqualmie Valley since time immemorial and will always be here. The Tribe will not leave Washington for a tax Despite being left landless and without the resources to sup- break elsewhere. And unlike most other businesses, tribally-owned I-182 port themselves, the Snoqualmie people persisted. In 1999, after 46 enterprises are directly linked to localized socioeconomic invest- years of Snoqualmie petitioning, the federal government re-recog- ment. Snoqualmie—like so many tribes—is investing in its culture, nized the Tribe on the basis of demonstrated community continuity people, and environs as never before. I-82 Presentation here of Snoqualmie boundaries as reported by the United States and others does not imply the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe’s acceptance and/or endorsement of the boundaries or the processes that produced them. 6 Taylor 2017 WASHINGTON Treaty of Point Elliott Cession, 1855 I-5 Snoqualmie Reservation (proposed 937) Snoqualmie Territory I-405 Seattle Judicially Established Snoqualmie Land, 1978 Snoqualmie