Prior Lake Mayor Ken Hedberg cites SMSC charitable contributions as justification for the tribe’s push to place more land into tax-free trust. Assuming the contributions help SMSC get what it wants, they represent a small investment relative to the millions of dollars of local and state tax exemptions the tribe will receive forever.
The tribe has a backlog of more than 3 square miles of land that they plan to add to the reservation. When fully developed residentially and commercially, this land could generate up to $10 million a year in local taxes to support city, county and school district, plus state taxes to support state-provided services. As reservation trust land, it contributes nothing. Hedberg and City Manager Frank Boyles, who are doing everything in their power to give the SMSC what they want, apparently have no concern about the future loss. Please read more at the Prior Lake American