Navajo lawmakers have approved a more than $571 million budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
The 16 to 1 vote came during a special session of the Navajo Nation Council on Monday. Lawmakers had tabled the measure last week after failing to reach a quorum in the regularly scheduled budget session.
Tribal law requires the council to have a budget in place 20 days before the end of the current fiscal year.
Tribal employees would receive a 3 percent general wage increase under one of nearly three dozen amendments in the budget bill.
Delegate Leonard Tsosie (SO'-see) cast the sole nay vote on the budget, saying a lot of items lack accountability.
The budget now goes to President Ben Shelly, who has line-item veto authority.
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