FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2016
MEDIA CONTACTS
Jared Touchin (928) 221-9253
Jolene Holgate (928) 380-4174
Crystalyne Curley (928) 286-7918
[email protected]
NavajoNationCouncilapprovesreferendumtoallow
theNavajopeopletodecidechapterregionalizationinitiative
WINDOWROCK–Withavoteof11-6,theNavajoNationCouncilonMondayapproved
LegislationNo.0220-16,whichseekstheapprovalofareferendummeasurethatwouldallow
registeredNavajovoterstodecidewhetherornottheNavajoNationshouldregionalizethe110
chaptersinto24regionalgovernments.Ifapprovedbythepresident,voterswilldecidethe
outcomeofthereferendummeasurethatwouldlikelybeplacedontheballotinNovember.
CouncilDelegateLeonardTsosie(Baca/Prewitt,CasameroLake,Counselor,Littlewater,Ojo
Encino,PuebloPintado,Torreon,WhitehorseLake),whosponsoredthelegislationtoldhisCouncil
colleaguesthatvotinginfavorofthelegislationdidnotnecessarilymeantheywereinsupportof
theregionalizationconcept,butthatitwouldempowertheNavajopeopletodeterminetheir
formoflocalgovernance.
“Thispromotesademocraticmeasuretoallowthepeopletovoteonregionalization,”stated
DelegateTsosie.
InMay2015,theResourcesandDevelopmentCommitteeestablishedtheTitle26TaskForcefor
thepurposeofreviewingaccountabilitymeasuresatthechapterlevel,exploringwaysto
empowerchapters,andtostreamlinetheFiveManagementPlanSystemandtransparency.The
taskforcemetregularlyanddiscussedthedevelopmentoftheregionalizationconcept.
TheNavajoNationcurrentlyhas110localgoverningchaptersthatoperateundervariousformsof
government.Undertermsoutlinedinthelegislation,thechapterswouldbereorganizedinto24
regionalgovernments.
Ifvotersapprovethereferendum,theCouncilwouldthenbeauthorizedtopassenabling
legislationtoamendTitle26oftheNavajoNationCodetoimplementthetransitionfromchapter
governmentstoregionalgovernmentswithinafour-yearperiod.
DelegateTsosiesaidthefour-yeartransitionperiodwouldallowtimetodeterminethebudgets,
personnelissues,qualifications,andothermattersrelatedtothetransition.
TheCouncilalsoapprovedanamendmenttooverstrikelanguagethatstatedthateachchapter
withlessthan1,000registeredvoterswouldberepresentedbyonecommissionerandchapters
withmorethan1,000registeredvoterswouldberepresentedbytwocommissioners,citingthe
needforflexibilityindeterminingthenumberofcommissionerstoensurebalanced
representationforcommunitieswithlargerandsmallerpopulations.
Momentspriortovotingonthelegislation,CouncilDelegateEdmundYazzie(Churchrock,
Iyanbito,MarianoLake,Pinedale,SmithLake,Thoreau)urgedhiscolleaguestovotedownthe
legislationandcautionedagainstrushingtheinitiativethroughtheprocess.
“Wearejumpingintothistoofastandweshouldnotbedoingthat,”saidDelegateYazzie.“We
needmoreinformationandweneedthefacts.”
DelegateTsosiesaidtheregionalizationconceptwillbedebatedontheradio,newspapers,andin
chaptermeetingswhichwouldallowthepublictobecomemoreinformedandeducatedonthe
issuepriortovotingonthereferendum.
Forthereferendumtopass,itwouldrequiremajorityapprovalfromallregisteredvoterswhocast
aballot.Attheconclusionofthediscussion,Councilmembersvote11-6infavorofthelegislation.
PresidentRussellBegayewillhavetencalendardaystoconsidertheCouncilresolutiononceitis
senttotheOfficeofthePresidentandVicePresident.
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