New Mexico Suspends Sale of Pueblo Acreage

The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department has temporarily suspended the sale of 8.7 acres in Cibola County that are owned by the Acoma Pueblo. Unlike the Pueblo’s traditional holdings, the disputed tract has not belonged to the tribe for centuries. Instead, it was acquired in 2004 via a quitclaim deed. Thanks in large measure to the uncommon chain of title, New Mexico Taxation and Revenue claims that $30,387.99 in delinquent taxes are currently due. The Acoma Pueblo disputes the claim; it says that regardless of ownership history, all tribal lands are tax exempt per federal law. Albuquerque’s KOB Channel 4 reports that the Pueblo’s attorney filed a federal order to stop the land sale on Oct. 12. Subsequently, the planned tax sale has been postponed.
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