Two public hearings on cutting Saipan House members to nine

Over a year after its introduction, an initiative that will reduce from 18 to nine the number of House of Representatives members from Saipan will finally have a public hearing on Wednesday and Thursday.

Rep. Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan), chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations, said the May 9, Wednesday, public hearing will be held at the Garapan Elementary School cafeteria and the one on May 10, Thursday, will be at the Dandan Elementary School cafeteria.

Both public hearings will start at 6pm.

Members of the public are encouraged to voice out their concerns about the proposal to reduce by half the number of House members from Saipan, and to submit written comments prior to the public hearing. Demapan’s office number is 664-8948, and the email address is staff.rep.demapanr@cnmileg.gov.mp.

Rep. Joseph Palacios (R-Saipan), author of House Legislative Initiative 17-4, wishes that the public hearings were held last year so that the House and Senate could act on it, and then give the public ample time to be educated on the proposal to reduce the number of lawmakers from Saipan because of the shrinking population and economy.

“But because that didn’t happen as early as I had hoped for, I just wish that people who support a legislature that is smaller and more efficient in using government resources will show up and voice their support to the initiative,” Palacios said yesterday.

He said this is one initiative that tells the public that the Legislature is willing to be part of the solution to reduce government spending and increase efficiency.

Palacios said reducing the size of the House would result in savings in excess of $1 million annually.

There are currently 20 House members. Of this number, Rota and Tinian each have one; the rest, 18, are from Saipan. The Senate has nine members comprising three each from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

The JGO Committee’s public hearings will be held days after the Legislature’s 120-day period to promulgate a re-apportionment or redistricting plan lapsed on May 4.

Palacios said a constitutional change to reduce the number of lawmakers would now be the best way to go.

His HLI 17-4 seeks to amend Article II, Section 4 subsections (a), (b) and (c) of the CNMI Constitution.

The over $1 million in annual savings will be realized “by cutting the present budget by each representative’s salary of $39,500 together with their respective annual budget of $84,146. This savings of $1,112,814 would be significant in light of the current economic circumstances,” the initiative states.