HERE AT NAABIK’IYATI COMMITTEE WHERE COMMITTEE HAS STARTED DEBATING ON LEGISLATION 0232-14, 2015 COMPREHENSIVE NAVAJO NATION GOVERNMENT OPERATING BUDGET. NOTE – I TRIED GETTING A COPY OF THE ENTIRE PROPOSED 2015 BUDGET BUT NO SUCCESS SO I’M PUTTING FORTH MY BEST EFFORT IN KEEPING UP WITH THE VERBAL REPORT BY BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRPERSON JONATHAN NEZ, WHO IS BEING ASSISTED BY NAVAJO NATION CONTROLLER MARK GRANT, NAVAJO NATION EXECUTIVE OFFICE CHIEF OF STAFF ARBIN MITCHELL, NAVAJO NATION OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETS DIRECTOR DOMINIC BEYAL.

SPONSOR, NAABIK’IYATI COMMITTEE MEMBER DELEGATE JONATHAN NEZ, WHO IS ALSO THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRPERSON
When the former Transportation and Community Development Committee exists, TCDC had chapters present their annual budgets to the committee. And even if allowed 110 chapters five minutes to present their budgets, it would take nine hours but there needs to be an opportunity for chapters to present their needs.

i see 2015 budget as balanced and this budget stays within projected tribal revenues. The B&F met with three branches and accepted their budget recommendations. WE also cleaned up some of the Conditions of Appropriations that the B&F received from oversight committees.

the other significant thing about 2015 budget is Indirect Cost, which was settled but close to end of fiscal 2014. And so $15 million in IDC would not be spent before end of fiscal 2014 which resulted in B&F asking that $9.5 million go to unmet needs of 110 chapters, along with $5 million for capital improvement projects from the chapters.

There is also about $3 million about Cost of Living Adjustment for all tribal employees. And at least $10 million be set aside for CIP and Energy Development that is based on Council $5 year CIP plan.