Navajos open a door to gambling
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — America's largest Indian tribe can now legally
talk about staking some of its economic future on the turn of a card,
the roll of the dice or the pull of a slot machine handle.
After almost two hours of debate Wednesday afternoon, the Navajo Nation
Council voted to change the criminal code so that gambling is not
a crime as long as it is an economic initiative of the Navajo Nation.
Normally a two-thirds vote is required to amend the tribal code. However,
all sides Wednesday said the measure was approved and no opponents
spoke out against the vote. A press release from the Legislative Branch
late Wednesday also said the measure had been approved by the council.
The enabling legislation for gaming now goes to President Kelsey Begaye
for approval or veto.
If the resolution does become law, it will allow the
Tohajiileeh (Canoncito) Chapter to continue discussing the establishment
of casino-style gambling.
The chapter wants to build a casino complex on Interstate 40 about
a half-hour's drive west of Albuquerque.
The chapter's proposal stalled when the Transportation and Community
Development Committee learned months ago that it would be violating
Navajo law if it adopted a resolution in support of the chapter's
effort.
A proposed new law that would have allowed casino-style gambling was
one of the reasons President Kelsey Begaye vetoed amendments to the
tribe's criminal code, citing the fact that Navajo voters twice have
rejected gaming in reservationwide referendums.
But Delegate Richard Begay Jr. (Toadlena-Two Grey Hills), the sponsor
of the resolution, said Begaye told him he supports the change as
part of an overall revenue generation plan. Begay and others said
the change does not automatically approve gaming.
"We will merely provide the means, a 'window of opportunity,'
to begin when the day comes to implement the process of gaming as
an economic initiative by the Navajo Nation," he told fellow
delegates. He added that concerns about implementing gambling, legal
issues, compacts with the states and rules and regulations should
be the next step.
A motion to table the resolution by delegates Edison Wauneka (Crystal,
Red Lake, Sawmill) and Joe Dayzie (Tonalea) failed by a vote of 27-46-3.
Most who spoke against the resolution pointed to the
failed referendums.
Delegate George Tolth (Baca, Casamero Lake, Prewitt) stopped short
of calling for a third vote of the people, but said the council needed
to learn what the 110 chapters want before it takes action. He also
said the impact will be much less in the future, since he expects
the states to approve open gambling within 10 years.
Delegate Freddie Howard (Bird Springs, Tolani Lake) said the resolution
would circumvent the previous referendums.
"If it's so important, why not convince the people first,"
said Delegate James Bilagody (Coal Mine Mesa, Tuba City). "If
it's that important, put it in a referendum again, and if it is supported
by the people, then progress with it."
Delegate Sam Billison (Kinlichee) said income from gambling would
mean the tribe wouldn't have to tax Navajos since casinos "are
there to attract tourists." He cited Nevada's low taxes on its
people because of its income from gaming.
Billison contrasted the prosperity of the gaming tribes with the relative
poverty on Navajoland by saying, "Look at our buses; look at
our Head Start facilities; look at our schools."
Also speaking in favor of the change were Alfred Yazzie (Many Farms,
Rough Rock), J.C. Begay (Cove, Red Valley) and Wallace Charley (Shiprock).
A motion by Ervin Keeswood (Hogback) to go into executive session
to hear confidential information from the tribe's lawyers failed.
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Navajo trust funds drop
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — The investment committee for the Navajo Nation had a
bad fourth quarter, with trust funds suffering a $69 million decline.
Figures supplied this week by the Division of Finance to members of
the Navajo Nation Council said the various trust funds owned by the
tribe fell from $1.2 billion this past June 30 to $1.131 billion on
Sept. 30.
About half of the shortfall some $35 million was attributed
to declines in the tribe's stock portfolio during that period.
This marks only the second time in the last five years that tribal
investments have gone down during any of the quarterly reports. Overall,
tribal investments have been increasing more than 20 percent annually
since 1996.
In fact, according to the report, things began looking up immediately
after the next quarter began. In October and November, tribal investors
reported sharp increases in the value of the various tribal investment
funds, although exact figures will not be released until April.
All of the various trust funds operated by the tribe reported declines
between June 30 and Sept. 30.
The biggest one, the Permanent Trust Fund, went from $529.5 million
to $504.3 million, a loss of $25.2 million. The tribe's retirement
fund went from $178 million to $171.9 million.
The trust fund that provides the revenue for the chapter
governments went from $62.6 million to $61.5 million, and the scholarship
fund went from $51.9 million to $49.3 million.
The losses were attributed to managers of the various stock portfolios.
Managers who worked in the bond market showed slight profits of about
1 percent for the quarter.
The year as a whole, however, shows that the average trust fund for
the tribe increased by 22.4 percent. The tribal report also stated
that the average annual return to the tribe has been 20.29 percent
over the last five years.
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Hopi suffers 10 percent cuts
Investment drop blamed
Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent
POLACCA, Ariz. — Hopi Tribal Chairman Wayne Taylor Jr. says declining
revenue has forced the tribal government to suffer 10 percent across-the-board
cutbacks for fiscal year 2000.
Taylor said the cutbacks were due to a decrease in investment earnings.
He said the tribe has also had to spend millions in capital outlay
to get matching funds from the federal government on several projects,
especially the Hopi Health Care center, which is scheduled to open
in May.
Worse, the fiscal year may be spread over 13 months instead of 12.
It used to go from Dec. 1 until Nov. 30 the following year, but because
of the controversy surrounding this year's budget, it was not approved
until late December. Thus, the tribal council's budget is scheduled
to cover expenditures through the end of this year.
Taylor said he hopes the tribal council will pass an amendment to
return to the old fiscal calendar. He said some tribal programs may
end up needing emergency assistance. He added that some tribal programs
may be impacted more than others, because those programs were already
operating on bare minimum budgets.
The budget cuts also meant that each of the tribes 12
villages received $300,000 for the year rather than the $475,000 they
had received the previous years. This left many village officials
questioning whether the tribal council is as committed to tribal autonomy
as many council members have professed.
On an optimistic note, the chairman said the Hopi Tribe
expects to receive two lawsuit settlements regarding a land dispute
between the Navajos and the Hopis before this year ends.
One settlement that was announced recently by both tribes would give
the Hopis $29 million. He said this would provide additional funding
for future years, but the tribal council must decide how to invest
this money.
The benefits from this and any other settlement between
the two tribes would be significant, considering the Hopi Tribe's
annual budget is about $17 million.
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Shiprock man gets 8 years in beating
Staff Report
ALBUQUERQUE — A Shiprock man has been sentenced for beating another
man and, in a separate case, a Hogback man has pleaded guilty to abusive
sexual contact of a child.
James Thompson Jr., 34, of Shiprock has been sentenced to 96 months
imprisonment for assault with a dangerous weapon on the Navajo Reservation.
Thompson admitted at the plea hearing that he assaulted Harold Williams
with a shovel on Dec. 10, 1997, after a verbal argument ensued among
him, Williams, and co-defendant Johnny Banketewa...
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Ganado students challenge new rules
Diné Bureau
GANADO, Ariz. — Apparently not all students who
attend Ganado High School are happy with the new rules that don't
allow hats and backpacks that can't be seen through.
According to police, a student was told last week to remove his hat
in school. The student took the hat off, but put it back on a few
moments later. The teacher told him again to take off the hat, and
then a confrontation erupted between the two.
The teacher reportedly grabbed the hat. The student pushed the teacher
and then swore at him...
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Cibola program seeks blankets
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Peggy Jordan wants to blanket victims of disasters and
other emergencies in Cibola County in warmth literally.
Jordan, whose program is called Blanket Grants, is seeking donations
of blankets for Cibola County.
"A safer community is a community that prepares," said Jordan,
director of Cibola County Emergency Management. The American Red Cross,
Cibola County Emergency Management and The Way, The Truth, The Life
Church are sponsoring the project.
"Citizens can get involved with the simple act of donating a good,
clean, used blanket that can be used in shelters," Jordan said...
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Round Rock sisters to attend Clinton's
address in D.C.
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — When President Bill Clinton gives his annual State of
the Union address tonight, two Navajo women will have ringside seats.
Both Christina Jones and her sister, Justina, are scheduled to sit
in the gallery of the U.S. Senate during the Clinton speech, not far
from where First Lady Hillary Clinton will be sitting.
The two, both students in the teacher education program at Diné
College, have been invited to be in the gallery as guests of President
Clinton...
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Cibola seeks loan
$700,000 would help open hospital
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — The Cibola County Commission took a giant step Wednesday
to get the $9.6 million Cibola General Hospital open by seeking a
$700,000 loan.
That loan, plus a $100,000 pledge from the hospital, will take the
medical facility over the financial hump so the doors can finally
open.
It is a "bite-the-bullet" move for both the hospital and
Cibola County. Otherwise, the hospital would not have opened...
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Delegates take several actions
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Here is a summary of actions taken by the Navajo
Nation Council on Wednesday, the third day of its winter session:
Amended the Navajo Tribal Code to decriminalize gambling as long as
it is an economic initiative of the Navajo Nation. (See separate story.)
Approved the articles of incorporation for the Navajo Health Care
System Inc. which will eventually take over the facilities and operations
of the Navajo Area of the U.S. Indian Health Service...
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Officials: Census is power for Navajo
Nancy Watson
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Local Census Office opened Wednesday
with federal officials talking about how an accurate census count
will benefit not only the Navajo Nation but its people as well.
"Opening the Navajo Nation Local Census Office is another step
forward in preparing for the challenges of Census 2000," said
Susan A. Lavin, director for the Census Bureau's Denver Region.
"Without the help of hundreds of people in the Navajo Nation,
the task before us would be impossible..."
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