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KAYENTAThe Newspaper of the Kayenta Township TODAY and Community A Free Publication from the Kayenta Township Visit us on the Web http://www.kayentatownship.com January/February 2006 Barriers to Navajoland Business Development By Richard Mike *Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Kayenta Township King restaurant pays to the Federal and Navajo Nation governments. Of course, tribal employees pay Federal income taxes but not their employ- ers. NTUA, BIA, IHS, the Navajo Tribe, and the Public Schools for example, these institutions don’t pay taxes. They are the recipients of taxes such as welfare, the war on Iraq, foreign aid, etc. Yet, because of the number of small businesses in A view of the old Window Rock Lodge and Cafe, the recreation Center Flagstaff, Arizona, they collect more can been seen to the right of the Lodge. 15 tribal homes have been taxes in one single town than all of constructed. Photo- Navajo Nation Museum 1953 the taxes collected by the entire Na- vajo Nation. In Flagstaff, they have The BIA created the Navajo Nation NHA and NTUA top management) Council and the BIA has always as- function as a privileged class with Recently, there have been three mag- a large jail, detention center, airport, sumed that economic development housing and even a tribal vehicle azines with stories on business barri- groomed cemetery, city parks, a could take place solely by allocating provided. An expensive college edu- ers on the reservation. We decided to library, and a host of many other money resources for certain projects. cation is mandatory in the stiff tests ask our own local businessman Rich- services. This assumption is as wrong as the prescribed for entry into its higher ard Mike for his opinion on the barri- opposite one, that people should start echelons. Middle and lower positions ers to business development. Richard Small businesses are also impor- their development without assistance attract the less privileged. Over time, Mike is a member of the Kayenta tant because they provide a product and promotion by the government. this Navajo bureaucracy has come to Township Commission. He is of the or service. Flagstaff has hospice, a Development cannot be made by the have distinct vested interests, and is Bitterwater clan born for Big Water hospital, a university, Kinko’s, title government because real develop- sensitive to all threats to its position originally from Monument Valley companies, big box stores and shops. ment happens in the minds of people. and privilege which it guards jeal- and the owner of four Burger King Small businesses also provide most It happens by them and with them. ously against encroachment from any restaurants and the Hampton Inn of the jobs in America. A gen- quarter. In several ways, it is alien- hotel of Kayenta. When he said, “the eral break-down of jobs in America An Entrenched Navajo ated from the Navajo people it is problems are too big and I might in- would be: Small businesses – 90%, Bureaucracy intended to serve. In the day-to-day sult some people”, we told him, “Do Farms – 5%, Large Corporations Show me a country where only the tribal administrative functions, the it anyway”. Then he said, “Business – 5%. government created it’s own eco- bureaucratic machine enjoys consid- development problems are boring nomic system and I’ll show you erable freedom from interference. for most, who’d want to read such Our Tribal Council has become Peru, the Philippines, Egypt, Haiti, Thus, there are few hindrances to its an article?” We told him, “You’re in the new BIA North Korea, East Germany, and the exercise of power. It is very paternal- business, we always hear from the (Boss Indians Around) Navajo Nation. Our Navajo bureau- istic and the Navajo people for their guys who aren’t in business”. Finally A year from now, we’re all going to cracy has a class bias and it tends to part, accept the tribal positions and he said, “What if my answers to the hear various tribal politicians run- have a stratification of its own; it’s look to the tribal administration for a barriers for business development are ning for the Presidency of the Navajo upper crust (Attorneys, Project Di- wide variety of small favors. too long?” We said, “We’ll put them Nation. All of them will be chanting rectors, Division Directors, even Continued on page into two or even three articles”. He the same old mantra we hear every then capitulated. By the way, we also four years – “It’s time for a change”! told him to use regular language and But nothing will change unless one try not to impress us. The following of these candidates actually al- is Richard Mike’s personal opinion lows for a small-business council on the Barriers to Business Develop- and more local government. There ment on Navajoland. are three large blockages to busi- ness development on Navajoland. Why small businesses The largest of all these problems is are important our leadership. Our Navajo Nation First of all, people need to know why government personnel are no differ- businesses are so important. Small ent than anyone else here in America businesses pay for most of the taxes and they are probably a lot smarter in this country. I pay taxes and so than the average person. Yet they and does my business partner Nina Hef- we have copied the dictates of the lin. In addition, all my Burger King Bureau of Indian Affairs. Now, we personnel pay their payroll taxes but are the BIA and it’s going to take just all of our payroll taxes combined are as much energy to whittle down the small compared to what each Burger Tribal bureaucracy as it did the BIA. BIA Headquarters, Window Rock, AZ. All bureaucracies die hard! Photo-Navajo Nation Museum 1940 Unemployment “The inbred tendency of any govern- The Gallup Independent cites in a ment bureaucracy, whether it be the December 16th, article, “Navajo BIA, or a tribal copycat (NN Coun- Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr., cil) of the BIA, is to make arbitrary expressed serious displeasure to the decisions that suffocate ongoing Deputy Regional Director of the businesses and block the startup of Navajo Region BIA …to identify new ones”. funds to make $1.5 million funding transfer for Navajo social services Poverty programs. …These programs include No serious thought is given to the direct assistance payments to more fact that it might be possible that than 4,000 Navajo households with both economic circumstance (trust almost 19,000 Navajo beneficiaries”. land status) and economic motiva- And how does a bureaucracy solve tion might be fundamentally differ- the unemployment dilemma as op- ent in the third world government posed to an ordinary human crea- of Navajoland from such circum- ture? The Economic Development stances and motivation of the non- Committee of the Navajo Nation reservation America. In particular, Difference between bureaucracy fairs. In the meantime, the crime rate Council (EDC) immediately expands the normal tendency of the typical and entrepreneurship attitudes will continue to escalate, unemploy- their Regional Business Develop- American could be to expand out- There is a huge difference between ment will continue to increase, and ment Offices (RBDO). The EDC also put and income. And the assurance bureaucratic and entrepreneurial the Navajo Nation Council will con- sees the need to write more propos- of the resulting reward would then decision making. For example, on a tinue to deny its people the means als. To any ordinary human being, affect aspiration – incentives. If one hypothetical question like – what are for improvement therefore our tal- being out of work is hard on people. has some certainty of getting more, the main issues in creating a Navajo ented have a “push” factor to leave Studies show that problems like it will be worth trying to get more. economy? The bureaucrat or EDC’s the reservation for greater economic suicides, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, In our third world government by answer creates its own obstacles opportunities elsewhere. Our talent- child abuse, drugs, is tied to unem- contrast, the tendency could be an because their questions are fused ed have already left the reservation. ployment. Unemployment means equilibrium of poverty. An increase and imposed by other bureaucrats. There are approximately 135,000 that our economy is not functioning, in income could set in motion the Questions like: What do we do with Navajos living off the reservation (There is no economy). Putting more forces that would eliminate the the non-Indian? Will we lose our and 165,000 on the reservation. people to work increases output and increase and restore the previous traditional values? Taxing our own growth for a town, city, state, or level of deprivation. Motivation is gives us the opportunity to make Will our Tribe change? nation. In my Burger King restau- subject to conditioning by culture. If decisions for ourselves rather than If there is ever going to be real eco- rants, my turn-over rate is something forces, great or overwhelming act to depending on others all the time. Our nomic development, then it’s going like 400% per annum. I’m always inhibit or exclude economic develop- resources are poor, the people are ur- to be you and I who’ll finally create crying about the high incidence of ment, will not people abandon the banizing and the political leadership it. We’ll start real economic devel- absenteeism, labor turn-over, dam- struggle? will always foil chances of private opment when we’re finally fed up age to equipment, indiscipline, poor companies coming to the reservation.

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