Here at Navajo Council’s Naabik’iyati Committee where Committee, after couple of hours of debate, voted 10 in favor, 7 opposed to confirm Eddie Sandoval, who works for Resolute Oil and Gas in Aneth, Utah, to the Navajo Oil and Gas Board.
The Naabi Committee is now on Speaker Naize’s legislation 0360-13, which adopting Navajo Nation statement regarding Arizona State Budget for 2015.
Since Speaker Naize is sponsor, Naize selected Delegate Mel Begay to be interim Speaker Pro Temp.
SPEAKER NAIZE
Both NM and Az legislature in session and each year the Navajo Nation presents its priorities and we also presented to Budget and Finance Committee which re-arraigned priorities.
DELEGATE WITHERSPOON
Az and NM very different. NM suports reservation economic development but not Az which suports health and education. Those are my recommended priorities – education and health.
DELEGATE LEONARD PETE
I have wondered from beginning of my term if anything goes, even across the street. When we submit our needs to Washington DC, what is it based on? Economic Development has been a priority for years and so I second Delegate Witherspoon’s recommended priorities.
DELEGATE KATHERINE BENALLY
Education based on student count and so even if we make priority, it will not change fund for Navajo education by Arizona. We don’t have partnership with Az to fund community development cuz never told that community development and economic development priorities.
But then again, you guys sent big message that economic development was not priority when you voted down Bond.
DELEGATE DUANE TSINGINE
I must oppose Delegate Witherspoon amendment cuz many of my chapters met over weekend and Tonalea Chapter is big warehouse with little wood stove and elders suffer. I do too. It’s cold. We are so glad this before you and we are very grateful that B&F put community development as number one where we are forgotten. We received new schools and charter schools from state. So vote down amendment.
DELEGATE NELSON BEGAYE
We need to approve our position with 23 or 24 in favor, q opposed. We need to be unified in our position to states and federal government.
