To the Editor:
Montville’s 2025 Agreement with the Mohegan Tribe represents a significant step backward from the protections and financial safeguards secured in the 1994 Agreement. While cooperation with the Tribe is important, this new deal gives away too much — and gets too little in return.
Under the 1994 Agreement, the Town was guaranteed payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) for tribal land removed from the tax rolls, helping preserve our budget while respecting tribal sovereignty. The 2025 Agreement, however, introduces a new category of tax-exempt land — Cultural Homeland Reservation (CHR) Lands — that will include up to 300 acres placed in trust and largely shielded from taxation.
Here’s what that means for Montville residents:
- Capped Revenue: The Tribe’s annual PILOT for all CHR lands is capped at just $100,000 — total. This figure is not indexed for inflation, and it doesn’t include buildings which are now completely exempt from taxation. As tribal housing, community centers, or other developments go up on CHR land, Montville will see none of the revenue we would normally receive from such construction.
- Shifted Burden: The Town is now responsible for applying each year for state and federal PILOT and education reimbursements. If those funds fall short, Montville eats the loss. This adds risk to our budget and increases the administrative load on town officials — all while local taxpayers cover the gap.
- Education Funding Risks: The Town must now track Native children on CHR lands in our schools and calculate “shortfalls” in tax revenue to invoice the Tribe. This process is complex, uncertain, and unfairly offloads the cost of public education onto non-tribal residents.
- Loss of Local Control: The 2025 Agreement dilutes Montville’s regulatory influence, provides no additional benefits in return, and removes more land from our taxable base without meaningful compensation.
Worse still, this agreement was entered into voluntarily by Mayor Lenny Bunnell without a public meeting or meaningful community input. Unlike the 1994 Agreement, which was tied to a federal land settlement and negotiated with checks and balances, this new deal is a local decision with long-term negative consequences.
Montville residents deserve better. We deserve transparency, fiscal responsibility, and agreements that reflect mutual benefit — not one-sided giveaways. The Town must revisit and amend this agreement to ensure fairness, accountability, and protection for our community’s financial future.
Jeffrey Rogers
Oakdale, CT
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