Referendum rundown: Navajo Nation special election

Photo/Coconino County Public Works

Photo/Coconino County Public Works

Election information:

Referendum takes place Oct. 24.

Absentee ballots must be in the Election Office by 5 p.m. Oct. 9.

Absentee in-person voting ends at 5 p.m. Oct. 20.

What it is: Should $216,000,000 of the principle of the Permanent Trust Fund be used to support the Navajo Nation Transportation Stimulus Plan to improve some dirt routes on the Nation?

Ballot question: “Should the fund principle of the Navajo Nation Permanent Trust Fund in the amount of $216,000,000 over six years at $36,000,000 per year be used to support the Navajo Nation Transportation Stimulus Plan?”

Explanation: The primary intent of the legislation and referendum has been, and currently is, dirt route improvement.

Things to know: A two-thirds majority vote of Navajo voters is needed for the legislation to pass.

The Navajo Nation Transportation Stimulus plan is not a budget, nor a commitment of jobs, culverts or other resources.

The Division of Transportation will work within the local communities of each delegate region to develop a stimulus improvement plan for dirt routes.

Meaning a total of 480-miles of roads would be improved across the Navajo Nation over the course of a six-year period, or 20-miles of roads within each of the 24 regions of the Navajo Nation.

By the number:

Total expenditures: $216 million

Crews, equipment and material for 480 miles of road improvement: $212 million

Gravel development, bridge planning and design: $3.5 million

Dollar/mile estimate: $212 million/480 miles = $442,000 per mile

Miles completed each year: $36,000,000/$442,000 = 81 miles per year

A 'no' vote: A no vote is against using the fund principle of the Navajo Nation Permanent Trust Fund to support the Navajo Nation Transportation Stimulus Plan of the Navajo Division of Transportation.

A 'yes' vote: A yes vote is in favor of using $216 million over six years at $36 million per year of the fund principle of the Navajo Nation Permanent Trust Fund to support the Navajo Nation Transportation Stimulus Plan of the Navajo Division of Transportation.

Information provided by the Navajo Nation Division of Transportation

More information is available at www.navajoelections.navajo-nsn.gov or by calling the central elections office at 1-800-775-8683.

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