Tulalip Tribal chairman talks taxes at State of Tribes speech

  • By Steve Powell The Marysville Globe
  • Friday, June 26, 2015 4:18pm
  • Business

MARYSVILLE – Tulalip Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon talked about the sales taxes the tribes send to Olympia each year without getting any money back, at the annual State of the Tribes speech Friday morning.

Each year, through sales taxes at Quil Ceda Village, the tribe generates up to $50 million in taxes, he said. None comes back to offset costs of running the business park. That is why the tribes has filed a lawsuit against the state and Snohomish County to get some of that money back.

He also talked about how the tribes have given more than $63 million to charities, police, courts, homeless shelters, food programs, theater groups, other tribes and more through its Community Charitable Donations program.

“We are honored to share the goodwill that has come our way through gaming,” he said.

He talked about working with Marysville on a shared vision. He specifically mentioned working with Mayor Jon Nehring on the homeless issue. He also talked of the interchange at 116th Street and I-5, which has helped solve a regional transportation issue.

“We have $250 million of investments outlined in our strategic plan for the area, developing and improving infrastructure being just one area,” he said.

He talked about how successful Seattle Premium Outlets has been, and the desire to move forward with “not just business, but the right business.” Between Home Depot and Cabela’s in the undeveloped parcel he sees a sort of “restaurant row” on the horizon.

Collectively, Tulalip enterprises pay close to $120 million in annual wages. Add Seattle Premium Outlets, Walmart, Home Depot, Cabela’s and other businesses, and the area has a huge economic force at Quil Ceda Village, Sheldon said.

“This year we will aggressively look for new businesses to locate at Quil Ceda Village as indicators point toward a better economy,” Sheldon said.

He added that Quil Ceda General Manager Martin Napeahi recently reported that the tribes provides for 3,500 direct jobs and 5,000

indirect jobs, with about 70 percent of the workforce non-tribal living off the reservation.

He said the resort has hosted a number of business conferences this year. And it has a 100-percent occupancy on weekends and 88 percent overall. About 27 percent of those visitors are from Canada.

“As everyone agrees, the business we attract from Canada is good for Tulalip, for Marysville and the region,” he said.

The casino resort has been honored with awards from the Washington Lodging Association, Trip Advisor, King 5, Smart Meeting Magazine and USA Today.

Sheldon talked about partnerships formed with the city, county, state and federal governments. He talked about healing together as a community after the tragic shooting that claimed five lives at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

Other discussion points included:

• After 20 years of planning and work the Qwuloolt Estury will return to its natural state when the levy is breeched in late summer, flooding 400 acres and allowing salmon habitat to emerge.

• A new Healing Lodge opened in May to offer a transitional program for those in recovery. Tribal members will be able to

stay for up to six months.

• A new justice center.

• Update the old casino.

• Renovations at the new hotel could bring 5 Diamond status.

• The new sports bar Draft and Asian-fusion cuisine Journeys East are very popular.

• The first Tulalip Youth Council was formed this year.

• A new health care system is in the works.

• A new Tulalip Early Learning Academy will start up this fall.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Black Press Media operates Sound Publishing, the largest community news organization in Washington State with dailies and community news outlets in Alaska.
Black Press Media concludes transition of ownership

Black Press Media, which operates Sound Publishing, completed its sale Monday (March 25), following the formerly announced corporate restructuring.

Maygen Hetherington, executive director of the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association, laughs during an interview in her office on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Maygen Hetherington: tireless advocate for the city of Snohomish

Historic Downtown Snohomish Association receives the Opportunity Lives Here award from Economic Alliance.

FILE - Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs poses in front of photos of the 15 people who previously held the office on Nov. 22, 2021, after he was sworn in at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Hobbs faces several challengers as he runs for election to the office he was appointed to last fall. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs: ‘I wanted to serve my country’

Hobbs, a former Lake Stevens senator, is the recipient of the Henry M. Jackson Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Mark Duffy poses for a photo in his office at the Mountain Pacific Bank headquarters on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Mark Duffy: Building a hometown bank; giving kids an opportunity

Mountain Pacific Bank’s founder is the recipient of the Fluke Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Barb Tolbert poses for a photo at Silver Scoop Ice Cream on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Tolbert: Former mayor piloted Arlington out of economic brink

Tolbert won the Elson S. Floyd Award, honoring a leader who has “created lasting opportunities” for the underserved.

Photo provided by 
Economic Alliance
Economic Alliance presented one of the Washington Rising Stem Awards to Katie Larios, a senior at Mountlake Terrace High School.
Mountlake Terrace High School senior wins state STEM award

Katie Larios was honored at an Economic Alliance gathering: “A champion for other young women of color in STEM.”

The Westwood Rainier is one of the seven ships in the Westwood line. The ships serve ports in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast Asia. (Photo provided by Swire Shipping)
Westwood Shipping Lines, an Everett mainstay, has new name

The four green-hulled Westwood vessels will keep their names, but the ships will display the Swire Shipping flag.

A Keyport ship docked at Lake Union in Seattle in June 2018. The ship spends most of the year in Alaska harvesting Golden King crab in the Bering Sea. During the summer it ties up for maintenance and repairs at Lake Union. (Keyport LLC)
In crabbers’ turbulent moment, Edmonds seafood processor ‘saved our season’

When a processing plant in Alaska closed, Edmonds-based business Keyport stepped up to solve a “no-win situation.”

Angela Harris, Executive Director of the Port of Edmonds, stands at the port’s marina on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Leadership, love for the Port of Edmonds got exec the job

Shoring up an aging seawall is the first order of business for Angela Harris, the first woman to lead the Edmonds port.

The Cascade Warbirds fly over Naval Station Everett. (Sue Misao / The Herald file)
Bothell High School senior awarded $2,500 to keep on flying

Cascade Warbirds scholarship helps students 16-21 continue flight training and earn a private pilot’s certificate.

Rachel Gardner, the owner of Musicology Co., a new music boutique record store on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. Musicology Co. will open in February, selling used and new vinyl, CDs and other music-related merchandise. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Edmonds record shop intends to be a ‘destination for every musician’

Rachel Gardner opened Musicology Co. this month, filling a record store gap in Edmonds.

MyMyToyStore.com owner Tom Harrison at his brick and mortar storefront on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burst pipe permanently closes downtown Everett toy store

After a pipe flooded the store, MyMyToystore in downtown Everett closed. Owner Tom Harrison is already on to his next venture.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.