Copyright © 2003 NLThomas
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News from the Cherokee Nation
Copyright © 2003 CNO
TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - Working late into the night Thursday, the Cherokee Nation Council and Principal Chief Chad Smith reached an agreement on the fiscal year 2004 budget. In wrapping up budget hearings, all 15 members of the Council voted to approve the budget and formally pass it at a meeting, specially called by Principal Chief Smith, on September 30."We all had the common goal of getting this budget agreement done so we can continue to serve the Cherokee people", said Principal Chief Chad Smith. "With that in mind, we were able to work out a budget to make that happen."
The last two major compromises involved the Council’s general assistance program, which has been the subject of a constitutional debate, and the Council’s proposal to remove all the funding for the Vinita and Bartlesville clinics, $1.8 million in all, from the Motor Fuels Compact budget.
"When the Council voted to take the money out of motor fuels, we knew that would mean we would have to cut services and shut down those clinics", Smith said. "Fortunately, we were able to work together to put that money back in from different sources so we can keep those clinics open."
Smith and the Council both agreed that the constitutional question of whether the Council can legally run a 'general assistance' program is best settled by the Cherokee Nation’s highest court, the Judicial Appeals Tribunal (JAT). Rather than put the entire budget at risk over a constitutional issue, both branches of government agreed to a compromise proposed by Council member Joe Crittenden: leaving the money in the Council’s budget, but inserting language in the law prohibiting spending of the general assistance line item until the JAT rules on the constitutionality of the program. As part of the agreement, a case will be filed with the JAT within a week to prevent unnecessary delays in the resolution of the constitutional question.
"It is a constitutional thing for the Chief, and a concern of mine as well", said Crittenden, who represents Adair County on the Council. "To keep from not having a budget, I just thought we should either take it (the Council’s general assistance) out or leave it in and not spend it until something came down from the Tribunal."
"Councilman Crittenden’s idea showed statesmanship", Smith said. "It was a good solution."
"I think the key was the Chief coming in and spending his time and realizing our needs and the people’s needs", Crittenden said. "Some people just thought we all felt a certain way, but we needed to work something out that will work for everybody."
"It was a meeting of the minds", said Don Garvin, who represents Muskogee, Wagoner and McIntosh counties on the Council. "This is what we get elected to do, to work out different opinions and come to conclusions."
"This Council impresses me with its professionalism, its willingness to have open, honest discussions on the merits of ideas", Smith said. "I commend the chair and co-chair of the Executive and Finance Committee for their hard work, and I think it says a lot that all 15 of our Council members were here late into the night to get this budget done."
The next Cherokee Nation Council will reconvene at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30 in the Tribal Council Chambers at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. The meeting can be viewed live on the Internet by way of the Cherokee Nation's web site.
| Related contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |