County, Tribe Say Court Should Settle Tax Issue

Madera County and the Chukchansi Indian tribe said the courts would have to decide their months-long argument over the tax status of the land on which the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino rests -- and the multimillion-dollar property tax bill that could go with it.

Tax Assessor Thomas Kidwell says the land has the same designation that applies to the average homeowner, and property tax should be assessed the same way. It was appraised at $401 million. The tribe says the land is tax-exempt, because a county agreement restored it as an Indian reservation in 1987.