Principal Chief George Tiger of the Oklahoma-based Muscogee (Creek) Nation recently told the tribe’s National Council the Creeks are looking at an .7 million gaming revenue gap in its .1 million fiscal 2016 budget. In an emergency meeting, Tiger told council members, “I hope you take this seriously. This is very important. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves as a cabinet and work with you.” A budget must be approved prior to the September 30 end of the federal fiscal year.
Tiger said the Creek tribe recently grew by 13 percent, to 79,520 members, and that has led to increased demand for services, the cost of which has risen. Tiger noted on average other tribes pay $5 per citizen on direct services and programs, while the Creeks pay $1. The gaming revenue budget generally covers most tribal services, he said. “There have been budget overages from the gaming revenues since 2008. Last year we were fortunate enough to have carryover to bridge the gap in the budget. We don’t have that this year,” he stated.
Tiger has presented three proposals for meeting the budget shortfall: 1) Changing the distribution amounts; 2) Borrowing against the permanent fund; and 3) Deferring some debt retirement.
However, National Council member David Nichols told Tiger, “I think your budget costs are overinflated grossly.” He said Tiger, who announced he will seek a second four-year term, could have vetoed several appropriations. Nichols added, “I will not touch our permanent fund,” which recently jumped 38 percent to $308 million. He said that would be a “Band-Aid” solution. “What are we going to do next year? We just can’t rob Peter to pay Paul,” Nichols said.
Currently is in the midst of a $365 million expansion at its River Spirit casino in Tulsa that will transform it into a Margaritaville resort. A 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar already opened as part of that project.
A petition to remove Tiger as principal chief failed in May, following a Tulsa World story that revealed Tiger worked in 2009 as a consultant for a casino developer on behalf of the Kialegee Tribal Town. Tiger said he stopped working on the Kialegee project after he was elected to the Creek National Council on January 2, 2010. But the World reported Tiger signed a consulting agreement with the Kialegee developer after the election. Creek Council members then voted 12-2 to approve a no-confidence declaration against the chief.
