“Sometimes it’s nice to have an old dog around the house.”

NAVAJO COUNCIL DEBATING LEGISLATION 0025-14, AMENDING TITLE 2 OF NAVAJO NATION CODE SECTION 105 AND SECTION 1002. The amendments would set term limits for elected officials.

SPONSOR DELEGATE DAVID TOM
And i have presented this proposal to chapters and they all support. there’s also some individuals asking that term be two terms. based on current political events, we are just asking for this change on behalf of navajo people. it also addresses appointment of individual to council and exception for that individual.

DELEGATE ALTON SHEPHERD
Couple of questions and I don’t know if Delegate Russell Begaye withdrew his name and wonder if anyone could notify ethics. Page 1, Line 26.5, for Delegates to have two terms as well.
AMENDMENT: REPLACE FOUR TERMS WITH TWO TERMS

DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
I was looking for rationale in setting term limit of two years. we have three branch government and if do this then never develop capacity for Legislative Branch to put together good legislation or fend off attacks by Legislative Branch. And actually work against yourself. It will be the staff saying they won’t work because that elected official will be gone. There is also Term Limits from constituents that allow people to vote you out. if just replace four with two and there is qualified lanaguage. Legislation for housing and healthy food tax took almost three years. and even at congressional level, the republicans signed two term limit and found selves up against that and they started breaking pledges. and run into constant onslaught of opposition. i think in next go round and our elder is Delegate Charles Damon III and I think that the next council will have no elders. and there are very few young people that speak Navajo and we could find ourselves with all English speaking Council. It’s good publicity but I’m going to vote against this.

DELEGATE LEONARD PETE
if you have young delegate come in here, you need experience and why we have elders around. and you’re going to eliminate all that. the other one also, and not quite sure what opposition, It’s sometimes good to have old dog around the house.

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