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Flathead Reservation has biggest economic impact among the state's tribes

Montana's Indian reservations contribute more than $1 billion per year to the state's economy, according to a University of Montana study.

The Flathead Reservation is number one in economic impact, with some $317 million in annual expenditures. Coming in second is the Blackfeet Reservation, at $158 million.

The UM Eleanor YellowRobe Bureau of Business and Economic Research prepared the study, which is a first-ever look at measuring the economic base of Montana's seven Indian reservations as well as the Little Shell Tribe, which the study includes but which does not have a land base.

The study compiled audited financial reports, tribal government expenditure reports, tribal colleges, housing authorities, BIA offices, Indian Health Service offices, school districts and other agencies to assemble a report for each reservation.

According to the report, most of the Flathead Reservation's economic impact is due to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, spending some $182.9 million each year. Other top economic sources for the Flathead Reservation are Social Security income ($32.7 million), retirement income ($22.8 million), and Salish Kootenai College ($21.2 million).

While the Flathead Reservation is the state's third largest in geographical size, it is number five when it comes to the number of enrolled tribal members. That number is 6,970, as compared to a total reservation population count of 26,172 during the 2000 census.

The Blackfeet Reservation, the second biggest reservation in the state, has the highest number of tribal members in Montana, at 15,640. The reservation's population is 10,100.

The Blackfeet Tribe spends some $43.3 million; the Indian Health Service spends about $32.5 million; and Browning Public School spends $28.9 million.

Coming in third is the Fort Peck Reservation, followed by the Crow Reservation and then the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. The Rocky Boy Reservation is ranked sixth, Fort Belknap is ranked seventh, and the Little Shell Tribe comes in last.

The study did not include revenue generated from privately owned businesses.

"Reservations can now abandon anecdotal and piecemeal Census-driven financial information in favor of the $1,028,089,317 in total revenue and expenditures," the study states. "The $1 billion dollar total supports tribal leaders' long-held assertions of reservations' economic value and significant fiscal impact to the State of Montana. This study provides tribal leaders in Montana access to noteworthy data to more clearly examine their financial stakeholdership within the State of Montana and consider the economic leakages from the reservation to the state and the local economies surrounding the reservations."