A longstanding federal treaty with the Yakama Indians prevents Washington state from collecting taxes on gasoline sold by a Yakama-owned business, an attorney for the enterprise told members of the Supreme Court Oct. 30, in a case that could have larger implications for states’ abilities to collect taxes from tribal businesses nationwide.
During oral arguments, justices seemed skeptical of the contention that the state shouldn’t be allowed to collect the tax in question, and supportive of enforcing the provisions of the treaty to benefit the Indians covered by it.
