State Opposes Tribe-Owned Gas Station near Marquette | Business

MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — State officials are urging the federal government to reject a gas station proposed by an American Indian tribe in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

A lawyer for Gov. Rick Snyder says the gas station proposed by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community would have an advantage over other gas stations because it wouldn't have to collect state sales tax.

Deputy legal counsel Dave Murley is urging the federal government to not place the land into trust for the tribe, a key procedural step. The gas station would be near Marquette in Marquette Township.

The Mining Journal (http://bit.ly/Yf6GvU ) says the Keweenaw Bay tribe is disappointed by objections from state officials. The tribe says it has operated a gas station in Baraga (BEAR'-uh-guh) for more than a decade and faces competition there.

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Information from: The Mining Journal, http://www.miningjournal.net

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