Michigan Tax Agreement Benefits

Check out our new interactive tax agreement locator

Citizens may now use our new online, interactive map tool to determine if an address sits inside or outside of the tax agreement area. This map also outlines the ten county service area and the tax boundary township, as well as marks the tax exempt gas stations and Pokégnek Édawat villages.

Go to the Tax Agreement Locator

Back to the Your Government page ->

Resident Tribal Member

As part of the Tax Agreement Between the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the State of Michigan, a Pokagon Band citizen may qualify for certain exemptions from some Michigan taxes if the tribal citizen is a Resident Tribal Member (RTM). RTM refers to those citizens whose principal place of residence is within their own Tribe’s negotiated “Agreement Area” and who have been added to the official RTM list maintained at the State of Michigan.

All citizens ages 14 and older who live in the Agreement Area will automatically be added to the active RTM list at the State of Michigan by the Pokagon Band Finance Department. This qualifies the RTM to utilize the available tax exemptions when required guidelines are followed. A pre-application is no longer required.

To remain on the list of Active RTMs, it is critical that the RTM maintain a current physical address on file with the Pokagon Band Enrollment Department. The physical address should be the address of the primary permanent residence of the RTM. This address must also be a deliverable address. RTMs will remain on the list at the State and remain eligible for the Tax Agreement RTM benefits until they either move out of the Tax Agreement Area or they cannot be reached to update their address if it becomes undeliverable. In these instances, the citizen’s RTM status will be deactivated both at the Tribe and at the State of Michigan. 

For more information, please contact Sara Tyrakowski at Sara.Tyrakowski@PokagonBand-nsn.gov or (269) 782-4899 or Kelly Pike-Inman at Kelly.PikeInman@PokagonBand-nsn.gov or (269) 533-4566.

Request for Sales Tax Exemption for Vehicle Purchase

Tax Exempt Gas Stations

Tribal citizens can make tax exempt fuel purchases at the following gas stations: The Bent Tree Market near Four Winds Dowagiac, the Benton Harbor Marathon, the Hartford Citgo on Main Street, the Keeler Super Store Gas Station in Hartford, and the Edwardsburg Marathon.

Gasoline purchases should be paid for inside the gas stations so the tax exemption is given at the time of purchase. The only exceptions should be if the gas station attendant informs you that the system is down or that your card is not working when they attempt to scan it. In these cases, you may bring your receipt within 30 days of purchase to the Pokagon Band Administration office to receive your discount money, or you may mail it to the address below and the amount will be added to your next per capita check (and it won't be taxed). Please be sure to write your enrollment number and sign your name on each receipt submitted.

If you lose your card, you may call the Enrollment Department at (269) 782-8998 as soon as possible to get a replacement. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Julie Rodriguez.

Tax Agreement Documents

The first is an overview of the Tax Agreement written by the Pokagon Band. The links are to the official tax agreement between the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and the State of Michigan, and three amendments to the Tax Agreement, from the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Michigan State Tax Agreement Overview	Tax Agreement with the State of Michigan
First Amendment-Tax Agreement	Second Amendment-Tax Agreeement
Third Amendment-Tax Agreement	Fourth Amendment–Tax Agreement