Torres doubtful Legislature can pass budget  bill by deadline

Ralph DLG Torres

Citing the House of Representatives majority’s “negligent and inappropriate actions,” Gov. Ralph DLG Torres expressed doubt Friday whether the Legislature will be able to pass by the deadline a balanced budget for the government’s operations in fiscal year 2023.

“I don’t know if they’re (Legislature) able to act on it by the deadline. Because knowing the fact of seeing what the House majority have done, really is very negligent,” said Torres in response to a question during a KKMP press briefing.

House Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Donald M. Manglona (Ind-Rota), who is the author of the House budget bill, said Sunday they are preparing a response to the governor’s statements.

Torres has until Oct. 1 to enact a new budget bill into law or risk a partial shutdown of government operations.

Last Aug. 27, the House of Representatives passed the budget bill to appropriate $109.7 million out of $150.4 million in total budgetary resources, and $52.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds, for CNMI government operations in FY 2023.

The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chaired by Sen. Victor B. Hocog (R-Rota) will hold a budget hearing today, Wednesday, at 2pm. in the Senate chamber. Set to testify are Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig, Management and Budget acting special assistant Cherese T. Palacios, and Commonwealth Medicaid acting director Vicenta R. Borja.

Torres said Friday that he has every confidence that the Senate Fiscal Affairs and Committee and the Senate majority would look into and address the issues that he and the administration have raised about in the House’s version of the budget bill.

He said he is confident that senators would reconsider his budget proposal that he and the administration turned into the Legislature last April 1.

The governor said if the House majority members are sincere about helping the people, the first thing that they should do is not give themselves $1.2 million for allocations and instead give that amount back to the Department of Corrections, Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., and other departments that truly need it.

“What hurts me the most is they all go out there to advocate about transparency, better governance, and protecting the community. This is what they preach,” Torres said, adding that the first thing the House majority did is give themselves $1.2 million while slashing the budget of other critical offices.

The administration’s proposed budget submitted $1.8 million for House members’ allocation, but the House budget bill increased it to $3 million.

The governor said if the $1.2 million is a surplus and the House majority takes that away while not hampering anybody else, he is not going to make an issue about it.

“But when you start hurting, jeopardizing other departments, other institutions for your own good, that is wrong!” Torres said.

He said since he was elected as governor, he never came out to express his disappointment with House’s actions on the budget.

Torres said he is just disappointed with the House majority and the House Ways and Means Committee for getting $1.2 million for themselves first while cutting the budget of everybody else.

The governor said they will work with the Senate to make sure that they revert this $1.2 million funding back to the departments.

“I’m sure the Senate understands what are critical [needs],” Torres said.

He said the House majority reduced funding from the Carolinian Affairs by $94,000 and slashed the Indigenous Affairs Office by $89,000.

Torres said the House majority took away $165,000 from Veterans Affairs Office, $79,000 from the Women’s Affairs Office, and $103,000 from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

He said the House majority also cut $973,000 from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp’s budget and also slashed and reduced full time employees from other departments and programs.