Attorney: U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Affects Alabama Indian Casinos

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By CBS 8 News

Story Created: Jun 18, 2012 at 8:42 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 18, 2012 at 8:53 PM CDT

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling could affect Poarch Creek Indian casinos in Alabama.

Montgomery attorney Bryan Taylor represents Escambia County, which is home to the Wind Creek casino.

He says counties could get years worth of tax money from Indian casinos.

Taylor says the ruling means the Poarch Creek Indians aren't protected from paying taxes under federal law, since the tribe was not recognized until after 1934.

The Indians also run casinos in Montgomery and Wetumpka.

Venus Print, an attorney representing the Poarch Creeks, disagrees with Taylor's conclusions. She says the Department of the Interior recently sent the Escambia Co. Commission a letter saying the Indians enjoy all the rights of having a reservation, and nothing changes that.

Taylor says there is no dollar amount in taxes to pay because he says the Poarch Creek Indians keep their revenue secret.

This Supreme Court ruling only affects taxes -- not the legality of casinos.

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