Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Monday, May 12, 2008
Per capita payments of $1,200 approved for Oneida tmembers
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Oneida tribal members have approved an increase in annual per capita payment to themselves to $1,200 from $800, and authorized creation of an endowment fund to help with future payments.
They considered six options Saturday, including making one-time payments from $5,000 to $10,000, or raising the annual per capita payments to $1,200, $2,000 or $2,500.
Tribal spokesman Phil Wisneski said more than 1,500 members attended the 3½-hour meeting at which a proposal offered by the tribe’s Business Committee was overwhelmingly supported.
The Business Committee, the tribe’s elected body, proposed the moves as a way to meet the needs of members without causing financial damage to tribal operations.
Members approved an $88 million one-time per capita payment of between $5,000 and $10,000 to 16,000 enrolled members in December.
The committee said another payout could put the tribe millions of dollars in debt and force it to sell land and buildings. But it said the $1,200 payments could be accomplished without “unduly harming tribal services, employment or wages.”
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