In less than two weeks, the state plans to collect revenue from cigarettes sold to non-tribal members on Indian reservations.

But as the Sept. 1 enforcement date approaches, the proposal is becoming an increasingly contentious one for Indian and New York officials.

Tribes from across the state are mobilizing an effort to stymie the plan, a long-sought revenue source for the state that is expected to generate about $150 million this fiscal year.

Tribal officials say they are not backing down and are convinced the state won’t follow through. The Seneca Nation on Friday filed an injunction in federal court to delay the collection of cigarette-tax revenue on reservations. Earlier in the week, the tribe filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of the state’s plan.

“We had hoped to come to an understanding where the parties would have an orderly and agreed upon processing of the merits of our claims,” said Barry Snyder, the president of the Seneca Nation in a statement. “Unfortunately, the Nation now finds itself in the position of needing emergency relief from the federal courts to keep the State from implementing this illegal tax scheme.”

The flurry of legal activity came as the opposition to the state’s plan to collect tax cigarette-tax revenue from the reservations is hardening among the tribes. In what was called a “historic” meeting, members of the Iroquois Confederacy gathered in Rochester on Wednesday to express their disapproval with the state’s plan…

Read article here