Council overrides Shirley's veto

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — On the first day of a two-day special session, the Navajo Nation Council voted to override the presidential veto of a $24 million spending bill Thursday.

The vote was 63-10.

President Joe Shirley Jr. had vetoed the legislation that council had passed just days before the Nov. 7 election, noting that it provided $19.8 million to the chapters without requiring "a plan on to spend the funds, nor any method of accountability ..."

The amendment, which had been added to a Head Start spending bill, would provide $180,000 per chapter.

In a letter to the delegates Shirley reitierated his position on this issue and urged the council to defeat any attempt to override his veto. He reminded the delegates that the Division of Social Services was $1.5 million short in meeting general assistance obligations last year after the Bureau of Indian Affairs said it ran out of money. Council agreed to provide the needed funds, Shirley said. But by spending funds so recklessly now, if another such crisis should occur, council would be in a precarious situation, the president wrote.

The chapters have not been neglected, Shirley added. Within the past 15 months, council has appropriated $39.5 million to the 100 chapters, on top of the $5.2 million in carryovers that the chapters have for Fiscal Year 2007.

The override would provide chapters with discretionary funds and "raise serious concerns as to whether this money will benefit the entire community, or just a few," Shirley said.

The amendment to give the chapters $19.8 million does not meet "emergency status" as defined in the Nation's codes, according to an analysis conducted by the office of Budget and Management.

Furthermore, the action circumvents the usual appropriations review process, the OMB report said. The report went on to say that council was developing a detrimental habit of adding floor riders that do not receieve proper reviews by standing committees.

"The Navajo Nation Council now has the habit and practice of waiving all requirements," the report stated. "Budget proposal amendments, with little or no reviews, often come off the floor as riders 'piggybacking' on other legislation."

Both the president's letter and OMB report stressed the need to maintain accountability and proper fiscal management.

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