Editor:
We just elected a new chairman for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Manuel Heart has been around the tribal council for 20 years or more. Harold Cuthair has also been around the tribal council for 20 years or so. I also have been working for Ute Mountain Tribe for about 20 years. I am still making $8 an hour like many tribal members. We are the working poor. We need to get at least $10 an hour. It must be nice to make $65,000 a year.
What really bugs me is last year, when we got the Cobell settlement, the money we received from that should not have stopped or even affected our regular yearly per capita payments. Manuel Heart, Harold Cuthair, and the other tribal council members voted not to give us our regular per capita because of the Cobell settlement. The chairman at the time, Gary Hayes, advised the tribal council not to stop or mess with our regular per capita payments because it will hurt families down the road. The tribal council did not take Chairman Gary Hayes’ advice, and as a result a lot of tribal members struggled last year.
They talk about better work, better pay and a better way of life, but they are talking about themselves and not us as a tribe. They say one thing to your face and do another behind your back. If tribal members want a better future for their children and grandchildren study the council members. Members need to know where they stand on issues. If members keep voting just because candidates are family they are hurting the tribe, hurting all of us. Do not vote for them just to see how much money members can get out of them, but for what they can do for the Ute Mountain Tribe.
We have two seats open for tribal council in January. Get out and vote! Vote smart for a better tomorrow.
Ricky Hayes, Young Eagle, Towaoc