A bill that would exempt the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians from paying property taxes on Camp 4 passed off the Assembly floor on June 1.
The Chumash-sponsored Assembly Bill 653 “would exempt from taxation property owned in fee by a federally recognized Indian tribe if specified conditions are met,” including if the U.S. Department of the Interior has issued notice of a decision to accept the property into federal trust, which would make it part of a tribe’s federal Indian reservation.
The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), a branch of the Department of Interior, announced in January its decision to accept Camp 4—a Chumash-owned 1,400-acre parcel of land in the Santa Ynez Valley—into federal trust, which would include it in the exemptions specified in AB 653.
The bill’s opponents, including Mike Brady of the Santa Ynez Valley Coalition, argue that the legislation would circumvent negotiations between the tribe and the county regarding how to mitigate lost property taxes once Camp 4 becomes part of the Chumash reservation. Brady said that by “working a back door” around its negotiations with the county, the tribe was “sabotaging good faith dialogue” with local government and community members.
“It goes to the core of good faith negotiations between the county and the tribe when they have said they want to work with the county to try to work out the fiscal implications of what they’re going to be doing on Camp 4, and yet, unbeknownst to the community or the county, they go and sponsor a bill that would remove Camp 4 under certain circumstances from property taxes,” Brady told the Sun. “I think that shows bad faith. That’s a very sad statement, but I think it’s reality.”
County Supervisor Joan Hartmann, who represents the 3rd District, wrote a letter to the coalition supporting its position.
“Clearly, this bill would have impacts in Santa Barbara County and specifically in the Santa Ynez Valley,” Hartmann wrote in her letter. “Please be assured that I am actively working with county staff and with contacts in Sacramento to oppose this legislation.”
The Sun was unable to reach Hartmann for comment as of press time.
Chumash Chairman Kenneth Kahn said in an emailed statement to the Sun that the bill was necessary to support tribe projects such as member housing, which is the primary intent for Camp 4.
“Tribes across California will benefit from the passage of AB 653 as it will provide a much-needed limited property tax exemption after a notice of decision by the BIA to take land into trust and during the administrative appeal for projects like tribal housing,” Kahn said in his statement.
The bill passed through the Assembly with only one dissenting vote from Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City). Four Assembly members, including Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), did not vote.
