Tribe makes contributions to taxing districts

The Swinomish Tribal Senate is pleased to announce its approval of the Tribe’s 2021 voluntary contributions to the La Conner Regional Library, Fire District 13 and La Conner School District. The contributions will be paid from Trust Improvement Use and Occupancy taxes, which the Tribe collects from individual Tribal landowners and owners of homes built on leased Swinomish trust lands.

Recognizing the economic challenges faced by some taxpayers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tribe is also pleased to announce reduction of the 2021 tax rate to $11.98 per $1,000 in value.

The Senate authorized voluntary contributions for 2021 in the following amounts:

La Conner Library: $27,702. This fully funds the Library’s budget request for 2021.

Fire District 13: $200,000. This is equal to the Tribe’s 2020 contribution to FD 13 and exceeds the Tribe’s contribution amount in the years before the Tribe began asserting its tax authority on trust land.

La Conner School District: $500,000. In addition to being the Tribe’s largest single contribution, these funds supporting La Conner schools are also unrestricted – in contrast with state and federal education funding, which is often limited to a specific purpose.

The La Conner School District is able to allocate the funding where it is needed most, getting the maximum benefit from every dollar, because there are no conditions on spending.

In addition to the $500,000 general schools contribution, the Tribe continues to uphold its commitment to contribute $100,000 per year for five years towards a new roof for the high school gym. The fourth $100,000 contribution will be made this year.

Finally, in addition to the above contributions to the La Conner Library, Fire District 13 and La Conner School District, 2021 is the third and final year of the Swinomish Tribe’s commitment to contribute a total of $750,000 for the construction of the new La Conner-Swinomish Library.

“We here at Swinomish take pride in the ability to help our surrounding communities and work towards a brighter future for all,” said Senator Jeremy “JJ” Wilbur, chair of the Swinomish Tax Committee.

“To achieve this goal, in addition to the contributions to the library, fire district and school district, 2021 tax revenue will also provide for a variety of essential government services such as funding protection of environmental and natural resources, protection and restoration of salmon habitat and policing services.

The Tribe will also continue providing paraprofessionals to the La Conner School District to help both Tribal and non-Tribal children excel as they begin to return to in person classes.

“Historically, property tax revenue collected from the Swinomish Reservation was distributed county-wide, with none flowing back to the Swinomish community to support Tribal services.

The Tribe began asserting its sovereign taxation authority after the 2014 Great Wolf Lodge decision, which removed 931 homes on Swinomish Trust land from County tax rolls and would otherwise have created a tax-free zone, with a budget crisis for vital services soon to follow.

Instead, the Use and Occupancy Tax revenue now contributes to government services and directly funds the Tribe’s regular educational and public safety contributions, reflecting the importance that the Swinomish Tribe places on the education and safety of the entire Reservation community.”