Gila River Indian Community v. Paul Waddell, as Director of the Department of Revenue of the State of Arizona

967 F.2d 1404, 92 Daily Journal DAR 8928, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5589, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 14527, 1992 WL 142064
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedJune 26, 1992
Docket90-16838
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 967 F.2d 1404 (Gila River Indian Community v. Paul Waddell, as Director of the Department of Revenue of the State of Arizona) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gila River Indian Community v. Paul Waddell, as Director of the Department of Revenue of the State of Arizona, 967 F.2d 1404, 92 Daily Journal DAR 8928, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5589, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 14527, 1992 WL 142064 (9th Cir. 1992).

Opinion

FLETCHER, Circuit Judge:

The Gila River Indian Community (the Tribe) appeals the district court’s dismissal of its action for declaratory and injunctive relief. The Tribe sought to enjoin Paul Waddell, in his capacity as Director of the Arizona Department of Revenue (the State), from imposing a tax on the sale of tickets and concessionary items in connection with the sporting and cultural activities that take place on the Gila Reservation. The Tribe claimed that the doctrines of federal preemption and tribal sovereignty preclude the State from levying taxes on entertainment events occurring wholly on reservation property. The district court dismissed the Tribe’s suit for failure to state a claim. We reverse.

I.

We accept the allegations of fact found in the Tribe’s complaint as true for purposes of reviewing the dismissal of its action for failure to state a claim. Abramson v. Brownstein, 897 F.2d 389, 391 (9th Cir.1990). The Tribe consists of the confederated Pima and Maricopa Tribes of Indians and enjoys official status under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, 25 U.S.C. § 461 et seq. (1988). Pursuant to that Act, the Secretary of the Interior has approved the Tribe’s constitution and bylaws. The United States holds fee title to most of the Tribe’s reservation in trust for the Tribe. The reservation borders the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in Arizona.

In the early 1970s, the Tribe constructed a lake and marina on its reservation wholly from federal funds. With the assistance and supervision of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Tribe sought to develop these facilities, known as Firebird Lake and the Sun Valley Marina, in a manner that would foster its economic growth. It chartered the Sun Valley Marina Corporation (Sun Valley), a tribal entity, and leased to it the Firebird Lake property. This lease was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to 25 U.S.C. § 415 (1988), which provides that the Secretary must review and approve the lease of all lands held in trust for a tribe by the United States.

In April of 1983, Sun Valley subleased four separate parcels of the Firebird Lake property, including the lake, to a non-Indian partnership known as Firebird International Raceway Park (Firebird). The lease, which again was approved by the Secretary of the Interior, provided that Firebird would construct substantial improvements on the property in order to conduct motor and aquatic racing events. Pursuant to the lease, Firebird built improvements around the lake to facilitate boat racing, constructed a drag strip and other racing tracks for automobiles, erected bleachers to seat more than fifteen thousand people, and built picnic facilities, restrooms and concession stands. Under the terms of the lease, these improvements belong in their entirety to the Tribe. Firebird further pays the Tribe a sizeable base rent annually, as well as a graduated percentage of its gross receipts in excess of four million dollars. In addition, the Tribe taxes the sale of *1407 tickets and concessions by Firebird. Fire-bird, which employs a significant number of Tribal members in connection with its operations, began holding racing events at the Tribe's facilities in the summer of 1983.

Firebird subleased, with the approval of the Secretary and the Tribe, a portion of the Gila property to another non-Indian entity, the JBD Corporation (known as Compton Terrace), for the construction and operation of an amphitheater for the performing arts. In accordance with the terms of the sublease, Compton Terrace built a theater, restrooms and dressing facilities, and Firebird constructed additional concession buildings and a road leading to various parking areas. These improvements also belong to the Tribe. The Tribe further receives a percentage of Compton Terrace's gross receipts for each performance, and places a sales tax on theater tickets, concessions and souvenirs. As in the case with Firebird, Compton Terrace employs a significant number of Tribal members in connection with its operations. Compton Terrace began putting on shows at the Tribe's facilities in late 1984.

The State assessed its transaction privilege tax of five percent on Compton Terrace's ticket revenues during the 1987 and 1988 seasons. It has also advised Firebird that it must commence paying the same tax in connection with the sporting events which it conducts on the Tribe's property. On May 31, 1990, the Tribe filed the instant suit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief from the imposition of the State's taxes on events occurring on its reservation.

II.

The district court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §* 1331 and 1362. The barrier posed by 28 U.S.C. § 1341 to suits in federal court challenging the assessment, levy or collection of State taxes does not apply to actions commenced by an Indian tribe. Moe v. Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, 425 U.S. 463, 470-475, 96 S.Ct. 1634, 1639-1642, 48 L.Ed.2d 96 (1976); Hoopa Valley Tribe v. Nevins, 881 F.2d 657, 659 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 494 U.S. 1055, 110 S.Ct. 1523, 108 L.Ed.2d 763 (1990). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.

We review de novo a district court's dismissal of an action for failure to state a claim. Abramson, 897 F.2d at 891 (9th Cir.1990). "Dismissal is improper unless `it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief.'" Love v. United States, 915 F.2d 1242, 1245 (9th Cir.1990) (quoting Gibson v. United States, 781 F.2d 1834, 1337 (9th Cir.1986), in turn quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 101-102, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957)). Because the district court erred in determining that the Tribe can establish no circumstances under which relief would be warranted from Arizona's taxation of non-Indian enterprises doing business on reservation property, we reverse.

III.

The Supreme Court has addressed on a number of occasions the efforts of states to impose taxes on non-Indians conducting business on Indian reservations, and has repeatedly declared that there exists "no rigid rule" governing such exercises of State authority. White Mountain

Apache Tribe v. Bracker, 448 U.S. 136, 142, 100 S.Ct. 2578, 2583, 65 L.Ed.2d 665 (1980). Instead, the Court has emphasized the need to assess on a case-by-case basis the applicability of "two independent but related barriers to the assertion of state regulatory authority over tribal A. [31 The Court has stressed that the standards generally used to determine and tribal self government.

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967 F.2d 1404, 92 Daily Journal DAR 8928, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5589, 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 14527, 1992 WL 142064, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gila-river-indian-community-v-paul-waddell-as-director-of-the-department-ca9-1992.