Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones

489 P.2d 666, 83 N.M. 158
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 6, 1971
Docket635
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 489 P.2d 666 (Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones, 489 P.2d 666, 83 N.M. 158 (N.M. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinions

OPINION

HENDLEY, Judge.

The Bureau of Revenue (Bureau) imposed a compensating tax on the Mescalero Apache Tribe, d/b/a Sierra Blanca Ski Enterprises (Tribe) based upon the purchase price of materials used to construct two ski lifts. The Bureau also imposed an emergency school tax on the gross receipts of the operation of the ski resort. The Tribe protested the compensating tax assessment and also filed a claim of refund for the sums paid under the emergency school tax assessment. The Bureau ruled adversely on the Tribe’s protest of the compensating tax assessment and the claim of refund of the school taxes. The Tribe appeals directly to this court pursuant to § 72-13-39, N.M.S.A.1953 (Supp.1969).

We affirm.

This appeal is based upon a stipulation of facts entered into by the Tribe and the Bureau, a summary of which is as follows. The Tribe is a treaty tribe residing on reservation lands situated within the counties of Lincoln and Otero in the State of New Mexico and has adopted a constitution in accordance with governmental regulations. The ski resort is also located in Lincoln and Otero Counties and is on lands belonging to the United States Forest Service under a thirty year lease to the Tribe, except for some of the cross-country ski trails which are on reservation lands. No part of the ski resort buildings or equipment are located within the boundaries of the Tribe’s reservation. The basic purpose of the ski resort is to provide revenue which is used for educational, social and economic welfare of the Tribe. The ski resort also provides a job training center for approximately twenty to thirty tribal members. The purchase and construction of the ski resort was totally financed by a loan from the Federal Government pursuant to 25 U.S.C.A. § 470. The approval of the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of Interior is required for the ski resort budget for each fiscal year, leasing of ■equipment or other property, leasing facilities to concessionaires, plans and designs for construction of additional facilities or improvements, disposal of property other than expendable items, form and contents of monthly interim reports and accounting records and other related areas dealing with the ski resort.

On appeal the Tribe asserts: (1) the State has no authority to tax the Tribe; (2) assuming , it has authority to tax the Tribe, the State, in its statutes, has not attempted to tax the Tribe; and -(3) the Tribe is exempt from taxation- because it is a fed-oral instrumentality. .

1. AUTHORITY TO TAX.

The Tribe contends that the State has no .authority ■ to tax because: (a) exclusive jurisdiction over the Tribe is vested in the Federal Government; (b) it is inconsistent with the Treaty between the Tribe and the Federal Government; and (c) it interferes with the Tribe’s right to self-government.

(a) Exclusivo Jurisdiction.

It is the Tribe’s contention that the Treaty between the Tribe and the United States Government, which became effective March 25, 1883, vests exclusive jurisdiction ■over the Tribe in the Federal Government. Article I of the Treaty states:

“Article 1. Said nation or tribe of Indians through their authorized Chiefs aforesaid do hereby acknowledge and declare that they are lawfully and exclusively under the laws, jurisdiction, and government of the United States of America, and to its power and authority they do hereby submit.”

The Tribe further contends that this argument is buttressed by Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution which states that the United States Congress shall have power “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; * * *”

We agree with the Tribe on this general proposition, but we must cfijl attention to the fact that the Tribe submitted to the United States “power and authority.” Subsequently, the United States Congress, on June 20, 1910, 36 Statutes at Large, 557, ch. 310, enacted the Enabling Act for New Mexico. Section 2, second, after stating that Indian land shall be under the absolute jurisdiction and control of the Congress of the United States, stated in part:

“ hc * * [B]ut nothing herein, or in the ordinance herein provided for, shall preclude the said State from taxing, as other lands and other property are taxed, any lands and other property outside of an Indian reservation owned or held by any Indian, save and except such lands as have been granted or acquired as aforesaid or as may be granted or confirmed to any Indian or Indians under any Act of Congress, but said ordinance shall provide that all such lands shall be exempt from taxation by said State so long and to such extent as Congress has prescribed or may hereafter prescribe.”

This Enabling Act is a specific grant of power which was later incorporated into Article XXI, Section 2, of the New Mexico Constitution wherein the almost' identical language was adopted.

Consequently, by virtue of the Enabling Act the Federal Government-permitted the State of New Mexico to-tax,- “ * * * as other lands and other property are taxed, any lands and other property outside of an Indian reservation owned or held by any Indian.”

The Tribe contends that under Article VI, (Clause 2), of the United States Constitution, when there is a conflict between a Treaty and the provision of a State Constitution or statute, regardless of whether the State constitutional or statutory provision is prior to or subsequent to the making of the Treaty, the Treaty will control. United States v. Belmont, 301 U.S. 324, 57 S.Ct. 758, 81 L.Ed. 1134 (1937). We agree with this general proposition, however, we do not find the Treaty to be in conflict with the provisions of the New Mexico Constitution or any of its statutes when the tax' is on lands or properties located off Indian land. The Treaty submits the Tribe to the laws of the United States, and the Enabling Act permits New Mexico to tax in this situation.

The Tribe contends the lease of the Federal Forest Service lands was an acquisition of land under 25 U.S.C.A. § 465, which permits the Secretary of Interior to acquire lands within or without existing reservations for the purpose of providing lands for Indians. 25 U.S.C.A. § 465 provides that title to “any lands or rights acquired” pursuant to 25 U.S.C.A. § 470 shall be exempt from State taxation. The purchase and construction of the ski resort was financed by a loan under 25 U.S.C.A. § 470. Assuming the Tribe’s leasehold rights and its interest in the ski resort facilities are land, or rights acquired in land, a proposition we do not decide, the exemption from State taxation is also to land, or rights acquired in land. The tax involved here applies neither to land nor to rights acquired in land. The tax under the old “compensating or use tax” is on tangible personal property, see § 72-17-3, N.M.S.A. 1953 (Repl. Vol. 10, pt. 2) and under the Emergency School Tax Act on the privilege of engaging in business activities within New Mexico. See § 72-16-4.1, N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl. Vol. 10, pt. 2) ; see Edmunds v. Bureau of Revenue, 64 N.M. 454, 330 P.2d 131 (1958). The exemption under 25 U.S.C.A.

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Related

Eastern Navajo Industries, Inc. v. Bureau of Revenue
552 P.2d 805 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1976)
Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones
411 U.S. 145 (Supreme Court, 1973)
Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones
489 P.2d 659 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1971)
Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Jones
489 P.2d 666 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1971)

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489 P.2d 666, 83 N.M. 158, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mescalero-apache-tribe-v-jones-nmctapp-1971.