What's it like in Port Townsend? (Bellingham, Silverdale: rentals, new house, employment)

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by MarciaMarshaMarcia

Probably the cheapest gas on the whole peninsula is Costco in Sequim, (need to be a member), the Arcos in PA, QFC & Safeway (need cards for last two). But all those are out of the way for PT residents. But they do have QFC & Safeway in PT.

You don't need a membership card at either Safeway or QFC.....but if you do you get a gas discount.

Arco is okay as long as you pay cash but if you use a credit card it's not as they charge a fee for its use.

The Elwah tribe have a reservation, so do the Makah.

Sometimes I wonder about that as they seem to have a lot influence and claims outside their reservation. Tribes claim solvency on the reservation and have their own justice system...but won't allow off reservation justice to prosecute their tribal members who flee our system. And Reservation members who live on the reservation are exempt from paying federal and state taxes. After all we pay for all their expenses from roads, schools and utilities.
In my opinion all treaties should be abrogated and the reservation land given to the tribe member free and clear and the members should have to pay their share of taxes like the rest of us.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rantiquity

You don't need a membership card at either Safeway or QFC.....but if you do you get a gas discount.

Arco is okay as long as you pay cash but if you use a credit card it's not as they charge a fee for its use.



Sometimes I wonder about that as they seem to have a lot influence and claims outside their reservation. Tribes claim solvency on the reservation and have their own justice system...but won't allow off reservation justice to prosecute their tribal members who flee our system. And Reservation members who live on the reservation are exempt from paying federal and state taxes. After all we pay for all their expenses from roads, schools and utilities.
In my opinion all treaties should be abrogated and the reservation land given to the tribe member free and clear and the members should have to pay their share of taxes like the rest of us.

You mean--sovereignty?
RE: the underlined--that was tried, and was a disaster. Self-sufficient tribes fell apart. It was a federal policy called "Termination", and due to its disastrous results, Nixon ended it. Nixon has forever since then been a hero to the tribes. Interesting historical note.

They can't avoid justice by fleeing back to the reservation if they've committed a crime on non-rez land. OTOH, look at all the non-Natives who go onto rez land to commit crimes, knowing that tribal court can't prosecute them, due to a law Congress passed toward the end of the 20th Century. Some revisions need to be made, definitely.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rantiquity

The tribe buying up land and businesses and converting it to a land trust is their way to avoid paying preoperty taxes. For example when the Jamestown tribe brought the Dungeness golf course they took it off the Clallam county tax rolls. Costing the county about $34K a year in property taxes.

Jamestown tribe has owned land near the Dungeness spit for over a 100 years but it is not a reservation.

They do have a small reservation, but most of their land appears to be outside the reservation land. I see it's a bit complicated:



The Jamestown Reservation is located on 20 acres in western Washington along the southern shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The beautiful landscape and easy access to the Reservation, which is bisected by Washington State Route 101, attracts many tourists to the area.

Map showing reservation land, non-rez trust land and land owned in fee simple by the tribe:
http://www.jamestowntribe.org/pageim..._JSKT_ClCo.jpg

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You mean--sovereignty?
RE: the underlined--that was tried, and was a disaster. Self-sufficient tribes fell apart. It was a federal policy called "Termination", and due to its disastrous results, Nixon ended it. Nixon has forever since then been a hero to the tribes. Interesting historical note.

They can't avoid justice by fleeing back to the reservation if they've committed a crime on non-rez land. OTOH, look at all the non-Natives who go onto rez land to commit crimes, knowing that tribal court can't prosecute them, due to a law Congress passed toward the end of the 20th Century. Some revisions need to be made, definitely.

Let them fall apart and then they can joint the real world with the rest of us.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rantiquity

Let them fall apart and then they can joint the real world with the rest of us.

Not gonna happen. Nowadays it's against international law, not to mention "the supreme law of the land" in the US--the treaties. Oh well. Guess you'll have to content yourself with the 99% of land in the US that isn't tribally-held. Tough break.

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

They do have a small reservation, but most of their land appears to be outside the reservation land. I see it's a bit complicated:



The Jamestown Reservation is located on 20 acres in western Washington along the southern shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The beautiful landscape and easy access to the Reservation, which is bisected by Washington State Route 101, attracts many tourists to the area.

All that land is not a reservation...its trust land.

Reference section C of the following:

https://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xoig/d...idc-038572.pdf

Section C "When the Tribe received federal recognition a reservation was not established for the Tribe and its members".

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Not gonna happen. Nowadays it's against international law, not to mention "the supreme law of the land" in the US--the treaties. Oh well. Guess you'll have to content yourself with the 99% of land in the US that isn't tribally-held. Tough break.

International law does supersede US laws and US laws can be changed with the right people in power.

[Drew8888]

Here is a link to the article in the PTLeader about the fines $30K fines recently imposed on the PT paper mill:

Mill fined $30K for emission violations | News | ptleader.com

I personally find the mill smell nauseating and have no doubt it could be sickening to many people. But the mill smell comes from the settling pond, and the infractions for which the mill was recently fined had nothing to do with the settling pond (or the mill smell).

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rantiquity

All that land is not a reservation...its trust land.

Reference section C of the following:

https://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xoig/d...idc-038572.pdf

I know--that's why I posted those maps; they explain it all. I said they do own a bit of land, and the maps show which is rez land, and what is non-rez trust land.

[aktowa]

Pikabike's description is pretty spot on. I am moving away from this crazy place called Port Townsend. I moved here in 2006 in support of my husband's dream and have had nothing but hardship, financial and social. Yes it is has physical beauty but the culture is less so. It tries very hard to present as a forward thinking, progressive town that champions all the correct causes. The reality is quite different. Multi million dollar pet project take priority over schools and other public needs. The social structure is exclusive and cliquish. Jobs are scarce, wages are still low and COL is higher than ever. There are many festivals and events but the cost is out of reach for anyone of modest to average income. I am lucky to have an admin. position in healthcare but it was a long wait finding it. I am well educated with many years working in my field but I had to work 4-5 minimum wage jobs to live just above the poverty line. When my daughter was in High School our low income qualified her for free school lunch. My last experience as a low income worker was in college.

I finally sold the house I owned here and I am gladly leaving this place behind me to heal in a better community. There is so much more I could say but if you are considering moving here don't let the facade fool you get to know the place and it's people first. There are very active, effective and exclusive groups heavily invested in turning the town into the everything they moved here to escape.