Gianforte addresses Lake County's withdrawal from Public Law 280

In a long-awaited letter, Gov. Greg Gianforte informed the Lake County Commissioners March 1 that his administration had no intention of allocating “current resources to assist with law enforcement in Lake County” after May 20, when the county officially pulls out of Public Law 280.

The agreement signed by the county, state and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes has governed felony prosecution of tribal members since it was inked by all three parties in 1965.

For several years now, Lake County has argued that detaining, investigating and prosecuting members of this tribe and other tribal nations who commit crimes on the Flathead Reservation has grown too costly and that local taxpayers shouldn’t bear that expense – estimated at an additional $4 million a year – alone. Since the state also signed the agreement, and the Tribes already foot the bill for misdemeanors and some felonies, the county has argued that the state has a responsibility to either step in and contribute or take over felony jurisdiction completely.