Council tight-fisted
Navajo lawmakers miserly with Undesignated, Unreserved Fund

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Frugal was the key word practiced by the Navajo Nation Council this week.

The winter session began with $16.3 million in the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund and most of the delegates seemed determined to keep it there.

The agenda had only one spending item on it, with Delegate Young Jeff Tom seeking $299,000 for the North American Technical College. The college, which trains Navajo students in technical skills such as carpentry and electrical has existed for 15 years and has an 89 percent success rate in placing its graduates, Tom said.

Tom urged other delegates not to add other spending amendments to his bill, because that would jeopardize his legislation's chances of passage.

But with needs high and resources low delegates jumped at the chance to get a piece of the UUF for the homefolks.

Delegate Roy Dempsey sought $2.5 million for the Raytheon Expansion Project. "This will increase jobs and benefit the entire Navajo Nation," said Dempsey. Raytheon needs the money as part of a matching funds grant from the State of New Mexico, he added.

New Mexico had given a $2 million grant, noted Delegate Jerry Bodie. Why then, he wondered, did Dempsey's legislation seek $2.5 million?

If he was allowed the time, he would submit a new budget reflecting only $2 million, Dempsey offered. But when council would not give him the extra time, Dempsey said he had no choice but to stick with the original wording of his bill.

"I'm in support of (Dempsey's) amendment," said Delegate Katherine Benally. "It's our building and we have to take care of it."

The Raytheon bill failed by a 37-42 vote.

Warning
Delegate Tom Lapahe sought $761,000 to complete the Whippoorwill Chapter's elderly group home project. The project is approximately half completed. This amendment was added to Tom's legislation.

But Bodie had a dire warning.

"If we put too many amendments on this legislation, then the one we want for our kids will fail," said Bodie.

The Little Folks Day Care Center was in need of $150,000, said Delegate Cyrran Hannon. This program integrates Navajo tradition and culture into its curriculum and provides a safe environment for children when parents are at work, Hannon said.

Then Delegate Ervin M. Keeswood pointed out that the main motion's sponsor Young Jeff Tom had left the room.

"To me, it indicates that the sponsor has lost interest," said Keeswood. "If he refuses to come back in the room, then this discussion is out of order."

Tom did not return.

DPA loses
The biggest loser in the council's new tightfisted grip on the unreserved funds was the Din Power Authority.

Delegate Norman John II tried to add a $2 million appropriation for DPA to assist in the development of the Navajo Transmission and Desert Rock Energy projects. DPA has made significant strides in bringing these projects to fruition, DPA General Manager Steven Begay wrote in a letter to Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan.

Only emergency legislation can be added to the agenda after the session starts, said Delegate Orlanda Smith-Hodge. This DPA appropriation falls short of meeting the emergency status, she added.

It is up to the council to determine of it meets the standards of an emergency, said Chief Legislative Counsel Ray Etcitty.

"This is just a way for them to circumvent the system," said Delegate Omer Begay. DPA should go through the committee process like other legislation does, Begay added.

This discussion is out of order, claimed Bodie. Besides, the council has already given DPA more than $14 million over the past 12 years, added Bodie.

"What have they accomplished? Nothing," Bodie said.

The amendment failed, 37-47.

When Delegate Lawrence Platero brought up DPA again, at the start of Thursday's session, there were audible sounds of discontent from the council floor. "You can moan and groan about it, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway," said Platero.

At least give this a fair hearing, said Platero.

'Nice suits'
Keeswood objected to "certain council members" who may have a conflict on this issue, because they also sit on the DPA board. Council has already given more than enough to DPA, he said.

"My brother, Steven Begay, has real nice suits and good for him. But I think we're paying for that, instead of progress," said Keeswood.

Delegate Francis Redhouse vehemently objected to giving another $2 million to DPA. He accused DPA officials of misleading the council and ignoring the comcerns of the community.

"DPA has had 15 years of financial support, and it's still at ground zero," said Redhouse.

Omer Begay objected that some delegates were personally attacking Steven Begay, when the issue is DPA not the individual.

"He lied to the council," Bodie said.

"We're defaming one individual, we need to be careful," advised Smith-Hodge.

Needing 59 votes a two-thirds majority to be added to the agenda, the DPA legislation fell just short with 54 votes.

Just before council was set to adjourn, Delegate Kenneth Maryboy made another attempt to add DPA to the agenda. This was also hotly debated, and in the end DPA fell one vote shy of making it onto the agenda.

The defeat of the DPA bill wasn't shocking to Steven Begay.

Many councilors want to see immediate results and are too impatient to give a business time to grow, he said. In the energy transmission industry it is common for a new company to take up to 15 years before it's on firm financial footing, he added.

"It's been 12 years for us, we're right on target," Begay said.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com or by calling 505-371-5443.