Begaye calls for joint task force
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye addresses the Navajo Nation Council Monday, Oct. 17, 2016.
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye addresses the Navajo Nation Council Monday, Oct. 17, 2016.
WINDOW ROCK
Possibly extending an olive branch to the Navajo Nation Council, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye called for the creation of a joint task force to address coming fiscal shortfalls during his State of the Nation address to the 23rd Navajo Nation Council on Monday.
Begaye and the council have been feuding over the budget since last month, when the president exercised his line-item veto 17 times on the budget the council passed. He said the Navajo Nation fell short by $21 million last year. That number could have been as high as $43 million, he said, noting the tribe had to turn to its rainy day fund to make up the difference.
“We don’t have a choice but to get ready for that shortfall and how to address it. So, we are developing a task force. Robert Joe and Bidtah Becker will be leading that task force. There will be others who will be joining that,” said the president.
Becker currently serves as the director of the Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources, and Joe serves as chief of operations for the Office of the President and Vice President.
OPVP confirmed that Crystal Deschinny, Director of Economic Development, and Donald Ben, Director of the Navajo Nation EPA, were to serve on the task force as well.
Begaye called upon the council to appoint members as well.
To read the full article, pick up your copy of the Navajo Times at your nearest newsstand Thursday mornings!
Are you a digital subscriber? Read the most recent three weeks of stories by logging in to your online account.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow