Tobacco tax hike passes, spending bills shelved

Tobacco will cost more to buy now that the Navajo Nation Council has approved an increase in the tribe's tobacco products tax.

The tax on a pack of cigarettes will increase from 40 cents to one dollar.

The bill also allows the Navajo Nation Tax Commission to make further tax increases without obtaining approval from the council.

The measure passed 49-14.

On Tuesday three other pieces of legislation went down to defeat, including a bill to hold elections when the U.S. presidential election is held, which would have extended the current office holders' term for another two years.

A measure to increase the time allowed for the Ethics & Rules Committee to set the agenda for a regular council session failed 27-35.

Under the current law, the committee must adopt a proposed agenda at least 15 calendar days prior to the session. The bill would have reduced that to 10 days.

The council also failed to fund demolition of the Tuba City District Court building, needed to make way for a new justice complex that the council approved in a previous session. The demolition measure failed 12-36.

Sponsor Harold Wauneka (Fort Defiance) said he sponsored the legislation because he is a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Also addressing the council was Ed Martin, director of judicial administration, who explained the need to demolish the facility.

Martin told the council that Tuba City has limited available land and the building needs to be demolished in order to make room for the new construction.

A written report that was presented to the council listed the interior and exterior problems that impact the existing structure, but some delegates expressed disapproval at destroying a building that could be refurbished.

The cost to demolish it is around $113,000, while the cost to bring it up to code would be $1.6 million, the council was told.

The council also chose caution on other spending bills.

Three supplemental appropriation bills were referred back to the Intergovernmental Committee. These bills, totaling $8.5 million, would have distributed discretionary housing funds to the chapters, and funding for the Public Employment Program and to provide drought relief.

The money would have been taken from the Contingency Management Fund, which is earmarked to pay for unforeseen legal costs owed by the Navajo Nation, such as adverse court judgments on damage claims.

Also referred to the IGR was $430,000 in funding for the tribe's Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

On Monday the council tabled $9 million in supplemental funding for veterans and veterans organizations at the chapter level, after an audit raised questions about how a previous grant to help veterans had been used.

Young Jeff Tom (Mariano Lake/Smith Lake) sponsored the bill and requested that it be moved to the winter session.

Tom's other bill, requesting $5 million for the Public Employment Program and Youth Employment Program was also tabled.

Still on the council agenda at press time Wednesday was a bill to make the tribe's judiciary an elective office, including the Supreme Court.

Other bills would authorize the IGR committee to grant permission for any use of the tribal seal and the tribal flag, and authorizing the tribe's three '638 health care corporations to transition from Title I to Title V status.

By declaring Title V status, each facility would have more management and operating authority and there would be a reduction in oversight by the Indian Health Service.

The council accepted reports from President Joe Shirley Jr. and Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan without verbal presentation.

The council heard reports from New Mexico Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and from Walter Haase, general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority.

The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission also presented its report on race relations in border towns. No formal action was requested or taken on the report.

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