Bill to restore money vetoed by prez in works
By Marley Shebala
Navajo Times
WINDOW ROCK, Dec. 15, 2011
The $2.4 million would be taken from the $41 million currently in the tribal reserves.
Danny Simpson, who is also a Budget and Finance Committee member, is sponsoring the supplemental appropriation bill.
The $2.4 million would provide $1.5 million for assistants for the 24 Council delegates, $397,000 for the office of Speaker Johnny Naize, $130,050 for the Resources and Development Committee, and more than $353,000 for the Green Commission.
Simpson was unavailable to answer questions about the proposed 24 assistants for the delegates, especially since the Council failed to get a supermajority vote on the establishment and operation of 24 local offices for the assistants.
A supermajority vote of the Council is 16 or more "yes" votes.
During the Council's fall session in October, the Council voted 15 in favor and two opposed on the creation of the satellite offices.
The $1.5 million for the 24 assistants includes $839,000 in salaries; more than $364,000 for travel; $38,000 for operating supplies; $150,000 for building rental fees; about $44,000 for cell phones; and more than $60,000 for utilities.
The more than $397,000 for Naize's office would go to $160,000 for travel; $50,000 for attorneys; about $132,000 for operating supplies, and about $56,000 for "non-capital assets."
The $130,050 for the Resources and Development Committee, which is chaired by Katherine Benally, is earmarked for travel.
The online copy of Simpson's proposed bill did not have a financial breakdown of the more than $353,000 for the "Green Commission," presumably the Green Economy Commission tasked with identifying and funding small-scale environmentally sound enterprises.
The Navajo Times requested a copy of the $2.4 million appropriation bill from Naize's office but by press time on Wednesday, it was still unavailable.
Simpson's proposed legislation without exhibits and attachments was posted online on the Council's website on Dec. 8, the day the five-day online public comment period began. But public comments are still being accepted as it heads to the Naa'bik'yáti' Committee and Council.
For an online copy of Simpson's bill, go to http://www.navajonationcouncil.org/legislation.htm and look for legislation 0485-11.