P. O. Box 595
Jay, OK 74346
Home (918) 253-6592
E-Mail: bstarr-scott@cherokee.org
1. Personal Background:
Barbara Starr-Scott is a native and resident of Delaware County. Starr-Scott is 3/8 Cherokee, and her parents, Beulah and Lacy Starr, were both original enrollees of the tribes. She has been married to Calvin Scott for 40 years, and they have 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Starr-Scott graduated from Jay High School and attended Haskell Indian Junior College and Tulsa Junior College. She worked for the Indian Health Service for 10 years, and has over 20 years experience owning and operating her own business.
She has served 2 terms on the tribal council, on term from 1983-87, and another from 1995-current. "Community service has been a vital part of my life. I have maintained a good working relationship with the Oklahoma Congressional delegation, and served on a number of national, state and tribal governing boards. Many of my 30-plus professional years have been in community development. I have worked for better health care, housing, employment opportunities and education.
2. What are your qualifications for this position?
"My experiences enable me to be a strong advocate for the Cherokee people. I have been a visible and vocal champion for the Cherokee people in my staunch support of the Cherokee Constitution, open government, and financial accountability. I have fought hard for four years for these basic responsibilities of a democracy. I have 8 years of experience on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. During this time I have chaired and/or co-chaired the following committees: Health, Housing, Registration, Constitution Revision and Cherokee Nation Enterprises.?
3. What is the role of the tribal council, in general, and in relation to the other branches of government?
"I believe that the common goal of our government should be the betterment of the Cherokee people. The tribal council, as the legislative branch of the Cherokee government, must be able to work closely with the executive and judicial branches to ensure that all business is executed in accordance with the Cherokee Constitution. We have the sole power to establish laws and appropriate money. This is a tremendous responsibility which should never be taken lightly or for granted. I believe that the council's most important Constitutional obligation is to protect and properly appropriate that people's money. We are legally and morally obligated to spend federal and tribal dollars on the appropriated program, and to inform the Cherokee people of how every penny is spent. In short, our government must act responsibly and be accountable to the people."
4. Why do you believe you can make a difference and what are the top priorities of your campaign platform?
Belief in making a difference and top priorities of platform: "Our government and nation can only succeed if we act within the framework of our Constitution, provide an open government, and promote financial accountability. Of these three fundamentals of democracy, there was no middle ground. You were either for the Constitution or against it. You were either for abiding by the law or against it. I firmly believe that we must act in accordance with the Constitution, and I passionately believe that no one is above the law. I ask there questions before acting on any tribal matter: is it Constitutional, is it legal, and will it benefit the Cherokee people. If we simply follow the Constitution and our laws, any task is obtainable."
"During the next 4 years, I will utilize my expertise to rebuild our government, safeguard and further the resources of our nation, and improve service provided to the people." I pledge to"
* rebuild the Cherokee Nation government in accordance with our Constitution;
* fully restore the Judicial branch of government;
*strive for an open government with financial accountability;
* preserve and develop our water rights and protect our land;
* improve health care service;
* provide more housing and improvements for existing homes;
* safeguard and increase scholarships for our youth;
* preserve our language, culture and traditions;
* meet with communities to inform constituents of important issues and gather input,
5. What are the biggest problems facing the Cherokee people today and what solution(s) do you propose?
"Our greatest problem is that we have become a nation of lawlessness. Our government has mocked our own judicial system, abolished our law enforcement, harassed our employees, and shown disrespect to our elders. Although we are the second largest tribe in the United States, we have put the stability of our nation in jeopardy due to the lack of leaders with values, integrity, knowledge and genuine concern for others. WE have leaders who have plundered our dwindling resources by wasting millions of dollars on attorneys, in-laws, and friends, while the everyday Cherokee goes without the basic necessities of life. Our financial accountability has deteriorated so drastically that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has put the tribe on a 30-day allowance. Our accounting records have been described as 'unauditable' by nationally-recognized auditing firms."
The only way that we can save our nation is to rise up together and say, "The tragedies of this administration will never happen again." We can, and we will restore our court, abide by our Constitution and laws that govern us, have an open government whereby our people are encourage to be involved and ask questions, and we will have financial accountability. Our great Cherokee Nation will once again be know and respected as the leader among all Indian nations.
During the 1999 Elections, a candidate questionnaire was given to the
candidates addressing the following questions:
- What are your qualifications for this position
- What is the role of tribal council, in general and in relation to other
tribal branches of government
- Why do you believe you can make a difference and what are the top
priorities of your campaign platform
- What are the biggest problems facing the Cherokee people today and what
solution(s) do you propose
To see the responses to those questions, please follow this link:
http://www.cherokee.org/TribalGovernment/Elections99Page.asp?ID=e99election