Native corporations (Prudhoe Bay: how much, purchase, bankrupt)

[gaduchman]

Another strange or maybe not so, from the children:

Do Alaska's Native Corporations depend on govt handouts like they do in the lower 48 reservation system?

[Metlakatla]

I'm sure they get some sort of corporate welfare like all corporations do, but the short answer to your question is no.

[roadfamily6now]

it is definitely different up here but they still get plenty of government incentives.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by gaduchman

Do Alaska's Native Corporations depend on govt handouts like they do in the lower 48 reservation system?

What handouts do the reservations get??? Looks to me like they had almost everything they owned of any value taken away by the government, and then are refused the handouts that go to the rest of our citizens.

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which created "Native Corporations", was in large part specifically designed to avoid doing the same to Alaska Native people, though certainly some folks have tried very hard to make it work exactly the same. For example most of their known resources of value were taken away from them, and just about all they got in trade was a promise of "free" health care through Indian Health Service. That is a similarity with what Indians in the Lower-48 were promised too.

But in fact the Indian Health Service for about 15 years now has been funded at 60% of need. Think about how your family would be affected if your health care provider only had 60% of the funds necessary to provide your care! How much of the care you receive now would not be given, and what effect would that have on your life?

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

it is definitely different up here but they still get plenty of government incentives.

And that would be why the Lower-48 reservations and the Native villages in Alaska are such bastions of wealth, right?

[gaduchman]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

What handouts do the reservations get??? Looks to me like they had almost everything they owned of any value taken away by the government, and then are refused the handouts that go to the rest of our citizens.

That's not really true. Most of America's oil, natural gas and coal wealth is sitting below reservations. Of course if the great white father in Washington had known this - the Indian wars would have lasted longer and we'd be sitting on a pile of rock or sand instead.

and just about all they got in trade was a promise of "free" health care through Indian Health Service. That is a similarity with what Indians in the Lower-48 were promised too.

Not exactly - we traded them the land for the construction of IHS-USPHS clinics and hospitals. Getting funding thru Congress is going to be harder now - there's been another "change" in leadership. Previously we were told the law was passed, but not funded and so 10 years later, they still aren't funded because Chief walking eagle didn't sign the bill. He can spend billions on banks that can't fail, but ignores the plight of the people that helped get him there.

My family was fortunate to have patent land outside da Rez - which Shell Oil paid dearly (9%) for the rights, so we were able to purchase health coverage from BC&BS.

[akck]

The only benefits I can think of other than health care are native preference on some federal contracts and the ability to sell net operating losses. There might be some additional benefits received through the BIA too.

[starlite9]

The Alaska Native Claims Act formed Native Corporations, they were given large tracks of land and money, most of the Corporations have reinvested the money and are doing pretty well, the shareholders receive a yearly dividend. The reason that that was done is because during the building of the Trans Alaskan Pipeline, that was part of the settlement before it could proceed.

Sad part is that in most of the remote Villages, the people there are on public assistance (that includes a lot of the whites and others that live there as well). There is a lot of successful Natives that I know that have businesses and are very hard workers, and there is a lot that aren't. You can argue a host of social reasons why, but the facts are just that, the facts.

So the over all answer your your question is "Yes", they receive major percentage discounts when they bid on Federal and State construction and services worth millions. Which means the "Public" makes up the difference when they charge 5%+- more on bids and still win.

Having said that, many of the shareholders are millionaires with an undivided interest in the Corporations, but don't have a penny to show for it. Doyon Corp for instance, members all have an undivided share of 500 acres each in the Corporations good timbered land, which is being logged, but the money goes into the Corp's funds. Had the members been given their land outright, the land is worth about $2,000.00+ an acre, so 2,000 x 500= 1,000,000.00 bucks. Then you have the asset value of Doyon to boot which is some fifty million+ bucks from Oil revenues.

There are some Native Corps that have gone bankrupt as well or are close, which leaves the shareholders with nothing. All the members regardless receive free medical and other Federal services, which amounts to the same as the lower 48 Indians receive, which costs millions alone as well.

Really, there is a number of answers to the question other than just "Yes" or "No".

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by gaduchman

That's not really true. Most of America's oil, natural gas and coal wealth is sitting below reservations. Of course if the great white father in Washington had known this - the Indian wars would have lasted longer and we'd be sitting on a pile of rock or sand instead.

You are making up your own set of facts! Take, for example, Prudhoe Bay. And all the rest of the oil that is being pumped in Alaska.

Not exactly - we traded them the land for the construction of IHS-USPHS clinics and hospitals.

Again, you are fabricating your own set of facts. We/they did not trade anything in any way only for the construction of facilities. It has specifically (and repeatedly, in Treaties and in ANCSA) been specified as "Health Care", not facilities only.

Getting funding thru Congress is going to be harder now - there's been another "change" in leadership. Previously we were told the law was passed, but not funded and so 10 years later, they still aren't funded because Chief walking eagle didn't sign the bill. He can spend billions on banks that can't fail, but ignores the plight of the people that helped get him there.

The same as above regarding "facts". The funding hung up is Congress.

My family was fortunate to have patent land outside da Rez - which Shell Oil paid dearly (9%) for the rights, so we were able to purchase health coverage from BC&BS.

What significance do you see to that though? That doesn't make any of the fabricated facts you supplied true.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by starlite9

The Alaska Native Claims Act formed Native Corporations, they were given large tracks of land and money,

Given land? They owned the land! They were "paid" 1 billion dollars and most of their land was taken from them. The money paid for lands on which it was known that oil existed in excess of 100 times that amount of money's worth. They were not asked to sell, they were told it was sold.

Sad part is that in most of the remote Villages, the people there are on public assistance (that includes a lot of the whites and others that live there as well).

That's hog wash. Just as many people in urban areas are on public assistance.

but the facts are just that, the facts.

So why not stick to facts rather than making up stories?