Crow Tribal Legislative Branch of Government Yesterday at 6:54pm CROW TRIBE OF INDIANS LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE Crow Legislature Passes Legislation 18-0 Approving Crow Tribal Budget for the 2014 Fiscal Year, Addresses Tribal Cash Liabilities Incurred by Previous Administration October 4, 2013 Crow Agency, Montana – The Crow Tribal Legislature held a special session on Thursday, October 3rd, 2013 and voted unanimously in support of the proposed Fiscal Year 2014 Crow Tribal Budget, which runs from October 1st through September 30th. The budget approval bill had been introduced on September 10th by Tribal Chairman Darrin Old Coyote. Budget Act Passes Unanimously Upon introduction of a budget approval bill by the Chairman on September 10th, the Secretary of the Legislature Senator R. Knute Old Crow assigned the proposed budget to the Legislative Branch Revenue Committee, chaired by Senator Carlson “Duke” Goes Ahead (Arrow Creek). The Revenue Committee held meetings to review the proposed budget on September 20th, 23rd, 27th, and October 3rd, along with meetings on September 24th and 25th to discuss the Tribe’s finances with the Tribal Chairman, Tribal Comptroller Karla MacCatherine, and cabinet heads and program directors at the Black Canyon Youth Camp during the recent Crow tribal retreat. The proposed budget was on the agenda for the special legislative session held on Monday, September 30th but was referred back to the Revenue Committee in order to continue review and discussion of the Tribe’s finances, budget priorities, along with developing language in the budget to guarantee by law all tribal mineral royalty payments will be distributed on a per-capita basis to the enrolled tribal membership. Upon reaching the floor of the Legislature on October 3rd, the budget passed with a unanimous 18-0 vote. Chairman Old Coyote signed the 2014 Crow Tribal Budget shortly after passage by the Legislature. The Crow Agency BIA Superintendent has also approved the budget order to authorize draw downs of funds placed to the credit of the Crow Tribe and held in trust by the United States. The 2014 Budget Act was passed as CLB 13-06 and is officially titled “A Bill for an Act Entitled Approval of the Annual Budget for the Operation of the Crow Tribal Government and the Expenditure of Tribal Revenue for Fiscal Year 2014.” $32,461,996 Budget for Fiscal Year 2014 The Crow Tribal Budget includes $27,153,896 in anticipated revenues to the Tribal General Fund, largely from coal-related income and tribal-state tax revenue sharing agreements, along with income derived from the operation of tribal programs. A total of $2,750,000 is anticipated to be distributed to the Crow Tribe from interest earnings from the Crow Tribal Trust Fund (also known as the 107th Judgment Fund). The balance of the tribal budget is funded by federal indirect cost awards (which is a percentage of federal grant and contract awards that is needed for administrative overhead). Under CLB 13-06, the Crow Tribe has authorized budget expenditure for debt servicing, government and tribal program expenses, and tribal cash liabilities. All existing programs and departments are funded, including increases to the Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch budgets, along with new funding authorizations for farm and ranch services, tribal search and rescue, forestry, the Crow Office of Veterans Affairs, and a tribal dispatcher for emergency services. Two amendments made on the floor by Senator Conrad J. Stewart (Black Lodge) provided specific language ensuring the six Reservation Districts each have a $50,000 budget for local activities, along with funding for an illuminated “Jesus Christ is Lord on the Crow Indian Reservation” sign in Crow Agency. $12.18 Million in Tribal Cash Liabilities Addressed in Budget Among the issues discussed prior to the passage of the budget was the large amount of “tribal cash liabilities” – a term used to describe areas of previous expenditure or billing which is considered a liability and in need of revenues to address in order to avoid negative audit findings and to achieve federal compliance. These liabilities include $3.2 million to replenish a BIA transportation contract award advanced to the Crow Tribe in fall of 2012 which was not spent in accordance with federal requirements by the former tribal administration, along with $2.5 million to address other expenditure issues associated with advanced federal contract awards and $600,000 to cover previously unauthorized tribal credit loans. In sum, there are a total of over $12 million in the liabilities portion of the tribal budget, which will be addressed by the Executive Branch as tribal revenues are received through the fiscal year. Because of the outstanding issues associated with these liabilities, Section 2 of CLB 13-06 provides that no budget amendments are required in Fiscal Year 2014 and all additional, unbudgeted revenues are available for expenditure by the Executive Branch in accordance with all such purposes as defined in the budget act, including tribal cash liabilities. Under Article V, Section 2(e) of the Crow Tribal Constitution, the Crow Legislature has the power and duty to grant final approval or disapproval of an annual budget prepared by the Executive Branch of Government. For more information, please contact the Legislature at (406) 638-2023.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 21:58:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015