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Cherokee Chief: Why Shouldn't We Get Stimulus Funds?
The tribes are receiving federal stimulus funds totaling 135-million dollars. The largest recipient is the Cherokee Nation, which is getting more than 37-million.
The Creek Nation and Choctaw Nation are both getting more than 15-million and the Chickasaws 13-million.
NewsChannel 8 spoke with Cherokee officials on the various infrastructure projects already underway.
The Cherokee Nation is Oklahoma's largest Indian tribe. Officials say they will use their share of the funds for housing, road projects, water projects and energy conservation.
A water treatment plant is being built for the rural Cherokee County community of Grand View. When finished, it will provide water for some seven hundred homes. It's just one of the many projects being built with stimulus funds.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith says more stimulus funds will also go into new roads, homes, day care facilities and conservation projects.
Smith says the tribe should get stimulus funds because the Cherokee Nation is a government, just like the State of Oklahoma.
"Even more important is that we are the taxpayers," Smith says. "Every Cherokee pays federal income taxes just like every Oklahoma. And, so we are a community, a government and we participate in federal programs just like the State of Oklahoma."
Smith says also like the state, the tribe must prove they spend the funds wisely and created jobs. He says the tribe never considered saying no to the stimulus funds.
"I would ask the question why the State of Oklahoma should get the money," Smith said. "You know, the state has a lottery. They receive gaming money. So, why does the State of Oklahoma ask for the federal funds, too? We do the same as the State of Oklahoma. We try to do everything possible for our people and to be good neighbors."
Smith is also quick to point out the projects the Cherokee Nation is building over the next two years will last a lot longer than the two years it took to build them and spend this money.
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Latest Comments on "Cherokee Chief: Why Shouldn't We Get Stimulus Funds?"
posted by: summer on 1:33 pm on 11/17/09
I'm glad the Indian Tribes will get stimulus money. They help the communities in many ways by providing services to all american native children in all school districts, with their casinos and they give back to the community. They provide healthcare for Native Americans and this takes the burden from the State of Oklahoma.
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