HOLTON ? Several interests collide when the American Indian tribes of northeast Kansas seek to put land within the borders of their reservations into trust, a legislative study panel was told.

Tribal officials who attended a meeting with state officials in Holton said their efforts to put land in trust were aimed simply at recovering land that was taken from them. State and county governments generally oppose such efforts because they don’t want to lose property from public tax rolls.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ administration is working to devise a policy on the issue, Matt All, the governor’s chief counsel, said at Monday’s meeting. He and state Sen. Lana Oleen, R-Manhattan, both suggested that better communication could help resolve disputes.

“We’re eager to look at all these issues anew and come to some kind of agreement and understanding with the four tribes that works for both the state and the tribes,” he said.

Title to tribal lands is held by the federal government in a trust status for the benefit of current and future generations of tribal members.

Kansas’ four tribes, all located in the northeastern part of the state, have been buying public land within their reservation boundaries in recent years in hope of putting it into trust.

Federal approval of a tribe’s trust application can be completed in as little as 90 days under current regulations. But tribal officials told the legislators Monday that the process bogged down at least in part because of objections from Kansas officials.

State and county officials almost “reflexively” protest when American Indians wish to put land into trust because it takes the land off the public tax rolls, All said.

Steve Alexander, with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, said the tribes hadn’t done a good job communicating their needs to the Attorney General’s Office. And because of the potential tax loss, the state is inclined to object to land-into-trust applications.