PCI, Escambia County meet in mediation

Published 3:26 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Parties with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and Escambia County met in mediation on Tuesday, and not much changed as a result of the meeting.

Both sides met after the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals made a separate ruling after tossing out Alabama’s recent try to stop PCI from operating electronic bingo casinos in the state.

On a local level, Escambia County Tax Assessor Jim Hildreth has been attempting to collect around $23 million in taxes the county claims it is owed since 2010. PCI has field a suit to stop this collection because it claims that it is exempt under federal statutes that establish them as sovereign lands.

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Hildreth said previously that the tribe has received some $43 million in public monies over the last 10 years, which he says validates his argument that the group should pay property taxes.

PCI Spokesperson Sharon Delmar said the Tribe doesn’t comment on pending litigation.