PAWHUSKA, Okla. — A financial dispute between Osage Nation Principal Chief Joe Tillman and Congress has emerged as the central issue in the closure of the Daposka Ahnkodapi Language School, leaving families without answers as students were scheduled to return this week.
Chief Tillman declared the emergency order on Aug. 4, citing an $11 million annual funding gap. His office projects the closures of the language school, visitors center and Harvest Land will provide $5 million in relief for the 2027 fiscal year budget.
Local News
'Attack on sovereignty': Osage Congress listens to community over school closure
But Congress members repeatedly said at the meeting that there is no emergency.
"This Congress has been clear — there is no revenue shortfall," said Eli Potts, a member of Congress. "But nevertheless, the administration appears to be proceeding with these drastic cuts that are negatively impacting years of progress."
According to a projected revenue resolution passed by Congress in April, the Nation projected upwards of $90 million in revenue for the fiscal year.
After all allocations, the resolution shows a surplus of $23,273,077.
The document bears the signatures of 12 Congress members who approved the resolution — among them, Chief Tillman's name.
The contradiction intensified calls for Tillman to explain the discrepancy between his stated financial concerns and the budget he signed off on earlier this year by parents, who voiced frustrated concerns before Congress on Monday.
"It is a government of checks and balances, and right now, there needs to be a check," one speaker said during Monday's meeting.
Congress has formally requested that Tillman reopen the school but has received no response. 2 News reached out to Tillman's office for clarification on the source of the alleged financial issues, but did not get a response.
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