By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The state may have hit a road block in trying to collect taxes on cigarettes sold by Indian-owned businesses.
State Supreme Court Justice Rose Sconiers has signed a temporary restraining order blocking the state from enforcing the new tax law.
In the ruling, the judge told the government to appear in court January 27th to argue against the temporary injunction. Governor Paterson signed the law earlier this month.
The new tax law is scheduled to begin in February. It would allow the state to collect taxes from manufacturers who currently sell tobacco products to Indian tribes' tax free. The Seneca Nation of Indians has vowed to take some type of action against this planned tax. Seneca's say they have been reviewing all their options.