In a video posted on Tuesday, Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. warned tribal citizens on the changes that could happen if an agreement is not reached.
“If Governor Stitt does not change course, we will still issue car tags to our citizens within our reservation,” Hoskin said. “Cherokees can legally drive those tagged vehicles anywhere in the state and the country. But we will no longer issue tags and titles to those living outside the reservation.”
The current compact allows Cherokee Nation citizens to live off-reservation with Cherokee tags. Additionally, the revenue the tribe collects from car tags is distributed between state and local governments, with more than a third going toward education. Earlier this year, the tribe donated nearly $8 million to more than100 public school districts.
Stitt claims local law enforcement agencies don’t have access to tribal driver data. He also says Cherokee tags are not accounted for in the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s PlatePay system and have accumulated millions in debt on toll roads.
Last year, state legislators overrode Stitt’s veto and extended several compacts between Oklahoma and multiple tribal nations.
In response, Stitt unsuccessfully sued House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat in the Oklahoma Supreme Court, claiming their compact extensions were “unlawful.”
In early June, Stitt sent a compact to multiple tribes and claimed it was the only agreement he would sign on.
In a statement cited by Fox23, Cherokee Nation Attorney General Chad Harsha said Stitt’s proposed agreement was offensive to tribal sovereignty and undermined the benefits the current compact had been providing the state.
If an agreement is not reached, the state’s current compact with the Cherokee Nation will expire Jan. 1.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
