Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s legislative and executive branches participated in the latest meeting of the tribal legislature on February 28, 2013.
One major ordinance passed without opposition was an amendment to the tribe’s code for business regulation, an effect of the Federal HEARTH Act of 2012. The act allows tribes to lease restricted lands for residential, business, public, religious, educational, or recreational purposes without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. In practice it will give the Citizen Potawatomi Nation increased control over its assets as long as its actions are consistent with Bureau of Indian Affairs regulations.
The CPN annual budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 passed. The total of $713,000 is to be drawn from estimated earnings and interest on program funds that have been awarded in judgments by the United States Court of Claims. Final approval of the budget must be passed at the next General Council meeting.
Also passed during the meeting was an ordinance amending the CPN tax code to create a hotel occupancy tax for lodgings on tribal land. A tax of 7.77 percent is levied on the bill of renters of hotel rooms, though there are exceptions for government officials while on business trips and travelers who rent the rooms for more than 30 days.
The tribal legislature also ratified Resolution 13-39 LCoE, enrolling 126 applicants as members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Legislators gave their unanimous approval to grant applications for federally funded programs including Tribal historic Preservation Office, 2013 CDFI Grant Assistance Program and a Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation grant that aims to develop public safety and criminal justice matters for Native Americans.