Results from community survey regarding Constitutional reform tabulated

Scott Csernyik

7/15/2002 12:00:00 AM

Respondents to a constitutional reform survey have overall supported most of the issues and proposed considerations presented in the 30-question document.

About one-third of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe's adult population participated in the survey, which was mailed to 2,176 members in early June. Of the 686 valid responses, District 3 (At-Large) had the highest return percentage with 465 or 33 percent, followed by District 1 with 214 or 29 percent and seven or 18 percent for Dis-trict 2 (Saganing). An additional 45 surveys were deemed invalid because they were submitted anonymously, nine missed the June 17 deadline and two were deemed a duplicate response.

Drs. Ray Christie and Won Paik from Central Michigan University's Institutional Research Department presented the results to Tribal Council on July 2. The membership's input was solicited in regard to a pending lawsuit concerning a proposed new constitution for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.

U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson of the Eastern District of Michigan's Northern Division granted plaintiff Gloria King's motion for summary judgement on Aug. 29. King is a District 1 Tribal member and acting spokesperson for the constitutional reform effort originally initiated about five years ago. The lawsuit named Gail Norton, secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs as defendants.

In his opinion, Lawson chastised the BIA for an "abuse of discretion" on how it calculated the requisite number of valid signatures initiating the petitioning process to amend the Tribal Constitution.

The ruling overturned a Sept. 22, 1999 decision by the BIA over the number of necessary signatures needed to start the constitutional reform process. Under federal law, a vote on a constitution can take place if petitioners collect the signatures of at least one-third of the Tribe's eligible voters.

"The council's discussions with the King plaintiffs have been cooperative and productive," stated Chief Maynard Kahgegab Jr. in a May 31 letter accompanying the survey. "They were undertaken with the joint objective of exploring whether long-term improvements in the Tribal government and long-term solutions as regards (to) Tribal membership issues could be achieved through constitutional amendments."

Adult members were asked "yes" or "no" to 30 questions covering myriad issues from four-year staggered terms for Tribal Council representatives to membership and proof of blood quantum considerations.

Survey results list the overall support percentage first, followed by a district breakdown of 1, 2, and 3 respectively for each question.

Executive Summary

Purpose and Methodology

The community survey for Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan regarding possible changes to Tribal Constitution yielded

-The total of 686 completed surveys with 31 percent (n=214) from District 1, one percent (n=7) from District 2 and 68 percent from District 3 (n=465).

-The response rate was 32 percent (n=686/2176), with the response rate of 29 percent for District 1, 18 percent from District 2 and 33 percent from District 3.

-There were 56 unqualified surveys in which nine surveys were late, 45 surveys had no identifications and two duplicate surveys.

Survey Results

The survey questionnaire consists of 30 questions with dichotomous �Yes' or �No" response type on various issues of Tribal Constitution.

-Question 1 (four-year staggered term system), the community responded 71 percent (n=467) �Yes" and 29 percent (n=187) �No' with 32 invalid responses. By District, the �Yes' responses were 51 percent for District 1, 43 percent for District 2 and 81 percent for District 3.

-Question 2 (add bill of rights), 73 percent (n=477) �Yes' and 27 percent (n=175) �No' with 34 invalid responses with 56 percent �Yes' for District 1, 14 percent for District 2 and 82 percent for District 3.

-Question 3 (independent judiciary), 63 percent �Yes' with the district level support of 48 percent, 14 percent and 71 percent respectively.

-Question 4 (civil jurisdiction), 63 percent �Yes' with the district level support 53 percent, 29 percent and 68 percent.

-Question 5 (10 Isabella District), 63 percent �Yes' with 52 percent, 43 percent and 68 percent for the district level support.

-Question 6 (two Saganing District), 67 percent support with 48 percent, 57 percent and 76 percent support.

-Question 7 (four At-Large District), 71 percent support with 48 percent, 43 percent and 82 percent support.

-Question 8 (regulatory power), 72 percent support with 57 percent, 43 percent and 79 percent support.

-Question 9 (membership power and duty), 68 percent support with 52 percent, 43 percent and 76 percent support.

-Question 10 (eligibility for membership I), 67 percent support with 45 percent, 57 percent and 78 percent support.

-Question 11 (eligibility for membership II), 74 percent support with 57 percent, 57 percent and 83 percent support.

-Question 12 (eligibility for membership III), 77 percent support with 60 percent, 57 percent and 85 percent support.

-Question 13 (eligibility for membership IV), 71 percent support with 57 percent, 57 percent and 77 percent.

-Question 14 (eligibility for membership V), 71 percent support with 57 percent, 57 percent and 77 percent.

-Question 15 (restriction on new applicants), 69 percent support with 48 percent, 57 percent and 79 percent support.

-Question 16 (proof of blood quantum I) 73 percent support with 57 percent, 57 percent and 81 percent support.

-Question 17 (proof of blood quantum II) 65 percent support with 46 percent, 57 percent and 74 percent support.

-Question 18 (proof of blood quantum III) 63 percent support with 45 percent, 57 percent and 71 percent support.

-Question 19 (proof of blood quantum IV) 73 percent support with 54 percent, 43 percent and 83 percent support.

-Question 20 (confirmation of prior membership), 74 percent support with 55 percent, 57 percent and 84 percent support.

-Question 21 (dual enrollment), 79 percent support with 61 percent, 57 percent and 88 percent support.

-Question 22 (enrollment process I), 72 percent support with 56 percent, 43 percent and 80 percent support.

-Question 23 (enrollment process II), 76 percent support with 59 percent, 57 percent and 83 percent support.

-Question 24 (enrollment process III), 67 percent support with 49 percent, 57 percent and 76 percent.

-Question 25 (enrollment process IV), 77 percent support with 60 percent, 43 percent and 86 percent support.

-Question 26 (enrollment process V), 71 percent support with 56 percent, 43 percent and 78 percent support.

-Question 27 (enrollment review I), 70 percent support with 55 percent, 50 percent and 77 percent support.

-Question 28 (enrollment review II), 75 percent support with 56 percent, 57 percent and 84 percent support.

-Question 29 (enrollment review III), 79 percent support with 62 percent, 57 percent and 87 percent support.

-Question 30 (judicial review), 76 percent support with 57 percent, 43 percent and 85 percent support.