Return to Feature Coverage This article is part of a selection of feature coverage articles.

09-26 Support tax exemption for income earned by elders and other measures to preserve Native languages

Published on November 10th, 2009

By ALEX DEMARBAN

Summary

Federal agencies and the state should work with tribes to identify ways to allow elders to fulfill the work of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006 without fear of financial penalty. Elders and speakers who contribute to language preservation projects under the act must be exempted from paying income taxes from the work.

---

Full Text

RESOLUTION 09-26

IN SUPPORT OF TAX EXEMPTION FOR INCOME EARNED BY ELDERS AND FLUENT SPEAKERS WHEN WORKING ON LANGUAGE PRESERVATION PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE ESTHER MARTINEZ NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES PRESERVATION ACT OF 2006

WHEREAS: Indigenous languages are disappearing at rapid rates and in the United States alone, it is estimated that only 175 Native languages remain; and

WHEREAS: By the year 2050, it is estimated that only 20 indigenous languages will be regularly spoken in Native American homes and communities; and

WHEREAS: Indigenous languages are critical to the preservation of Alaska Native peoples' distinct worldviews and way of life; and

WHEREAS: The United States Congress recognized the importance of indigenous languages through passage of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006; and

WHEREAS: As a result of the aforementioned act, funding has been made available to tribes for language nests, immersion schools, and restoration projects; and

WHEREAS: In many communities, the only speakers left to fulfill the work encouraged by the aforementioned act are our esteemed elders, who often live with limited financial means; and

WHEREAS: Many of our elders depend on social security, public assistance, and public housing benefits; and

WHEREAS: Strict wage, labor, and tax laws often prohibit our elders from participating in language preservation work; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the delegates to the 2009 Annual Convention of Alaska Federation of Natives, Inc., that the United States Department of Health & Human Services, United States Department of Internal Revenue Service, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and related-departments in the State of Alaska work in cooperation with Tribes to identify ways to allow our esteemed elders to fulfill the work of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006 without fear of financial penalization.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AFN recommends that elders and fluent speakers who contribute to language preservation projects described in the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006 are exempted from paying taxes on income earned in association with said language contributions,

SUBMITTED BY: KETCHIKAN INDIAN COMMUNITY

COMMITTEE ACTION: DO PASS

CONVENTION ACTION: PASSED