This year the Swinomish Tribe is contributing $150,000 to Fire District 13. That is $100,000 for fire and EMS/ambulance service to the Village, and $50,000 for providing the same service to Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned.

Prior to the Great Wolf decision, the $100,000 for servicing the Village came from the Tribe’s general fund under a separate contract.

For the past three years it has come from taxes collected from Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned. The Native Americans living in the Village do not pay taxes, so the taxpayers are funding fire and EMS/ambulance service to the Village.

Th...