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HLI 18-12 OK will lead to ‘adjustments’ to other govt units
The electorate’s approval of House Legislative Initiative 18-12 during the general election last Nov. 4 will result in other government units having to adjust their annual earmarks, according to press secretary Angel Demapan.
HLI 18-12, which increases the CNMI Public School System’s 15 percent annual government appropriation by 10 percentage points, garnered 7,826 “yes” votes and 3,958 “no” votes in last month’s polls.
“The administration will have to crunch the budget figures when it comes time to submit the budget proposal for the new fiscal year. Obviously, as is the case every fiscal year, any adjustment made to any business unit will result in further adjustments to other units. This will all depend on revenue projections for the next fiscal year,” Demapan said in an email to Saipan Tribune.
PSS’ annual government appropriation will now be increased to 25 percent because the majority of votes favored the budget increase.
Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan earlier told Saipan Tribune that she’s grateful for the vote of confidence from the electorate on H.L.I 18-12 and in believing that the CNMI should invest 25 percent of the CNMI revenue in education and for the islands’ children.
“This is certainly history in the making and our work to continuously improve our school system and make it the best in the region will now move forward,” she said.
