CIBOLA COUNTY - Governor Bill Richardson met earlier this month with leaders of 21 of the tribes, nations and pueblos at the first State-Tribal Leaders Summit. Hosted by the Pueblo of Acoma, tribal and state leaders met to promote dialogue and collaborative problem-solving for a number of issues raised by both the tribes and the state.

“I am very pleased at the success of State-Tribal Leaders Summit and the dialogue we had on important issues and needs in tribal communities,” said Richardson. “I am furthering my commitment to strengthen the government-to-government relationships with all the tribes and to addressing the issues that were presented at the tribal summit.”

Richardson

committed to:

• Direct the Department of Finance and Administration and the Indian Affairs Department  to work with tribes to develop by Sept. 1 legislative proposals and options to increase funding and create a permanent funding source for  the Tribal Infrastructure Fund.

• Work closely with the tribes to ensure that tribes compete for and receive the maximum amount of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding available. The governor also added two Native Americans representatives to the federal  stimulus funding Competitive Grants Advisory Team.

• Direct state  agencies to review policies and procedures to ensure that tribal communities have increased access to New Market Tax Credits and Industrial Revenue Bonds. Richardson also will ask agencies to research  leveraging resources to develop broadband technology to benefit tribal  communities.

• Create a  State-Tribal Taskforce on Economic Development to work on legislative  proposals for Native American Enterprise Zones and to look at other incentive options to bring high wage jobs to Native American communities, including through Gross Receipt Tax incentives.

• Direct the Public  Education Department to convene a summit to address the achievement gap and education disparities among Native American and Hispanic students.  Additionally, the governor asked PED to work with other agencies to continue developing culturally relevant curriculum which supports Native languages, culture, and history while still meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. This taskforce will further look for ways to recruit and retain Native American teachers.

• Order the  Departments of Health and Indian Affairs to develop innovative programs  that support the recruitment and retention of Native American health  professionals.

The governor:

• Requested each tribe, nation and pueblo submit their top priority water project to the Indian Affairs Department for review and consideration by the state. He also pledged to work with the Water Trust Board to make Native American water projects a priority for funding.

• Requested tribes work to expedite capital outlay projects so that appropriations are spent down in a timely fashion.

• Asked to hear from tribes about how they can best benefit from the tourism resources provided by the state, including resources for eco-tourism.