80 work hours for federally funded programs now under review

Acting governor Eloy S. Inos said the administration is now considering the restoration of 80 work hours instead of 64 hours biweekly for all federally funded programs and agencies-a development that some lawmakers said yesterday is “welcome news” and should also extend to offices funded by the CNMI government later on.

Inos said a final decision could be made within the next 30 days or so.

“We’re looking at ways to restore hours for everybody, primarily for federally funded programs,” Inos said in an interview.

This comes after Gov. Benigno R. Fitial lifted the austerity measures for the Nutrition Assistance Program, which administers the federally funded food stamp program. The exemption from the 16-hour cut is mainly for NAP to work on a backlog of eligibility review for some 900 food stamp beneficiaries.

Senate Vice President Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian) and other lawmakers said the fiscal year 2012 budget law exempts federally funded offices from the 16-hour work cut anyway.

“I hope that we are able to maximize the funds granted and not have them expire as if to show that we don’t need them,” he told Saipan Tribune yesterday.

NAP, for example, had a backlog in its workload as a result of the austerity Fridays.

The $102 million budget for fiscal year 2012, however, is premised on 64-hour work biweekly for locally funded agencies, except for the Legislature. Inos said restoring 80 hours for everyone would immediately result in a budget deficit.

Inos, who oversees government finances, said there’s no question that there are readily available federal funds to open certain programs and offices for 80 hours every two weeks, but he said the administration is still concerned about fairness and equality as locally funded offices will remain under 64 hours.

“We’re trying to see how we can address the issue of parity, meaning if we do this for federal grants, what will be the effect on employees funded by local [funds]. That’s one of the governor’s concerns, about morale issues so we need to take a look at that,” Inos added.

Rep. Teresita Santos (Ind-Rota) said she’s always been in support of restoring 80 work hours for federally funded positions, along with two locally funded agencies: the Division of Customs Services and the Division of Quarantine.

Santos also introduced a resolution that the House eventually adopted, asking Fitial to exempt these federally funded agencies from the work hour cuts.

Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan) said that if the federal government budgeted for a certain program in the CNMI, then that program should not be subject to austerity.

“As for the other offices, we need to work on improving collections and reduce unnecessary government hiring,” Yumul said.

He pointed out that when most federal grants are written, whether competitive or formula, “all aspects of how it is to be spent is in detail to include staffing, equipment, supplies, and especially salaries.”

Rep. Frank Dela Cruz (R-Saipan) said the purchasing power of these federally funded employees “will aid our local economy.”

“Not only that, but will assist these individuals in their everyday family living such as buying food and paying their utility bills, amongst others,” he added.

Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs Tony Babauta and other federal agencies have asked the CNMI government to exempt federally funded programs from the austerity measures. Interior, for example, funds the Coral Reef Restoration Program under local environmental agencies, as well as the Brown Tree Snake Program under the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources.

So far, only NAP has been exempted among federally funded programs. Inos said the administration does not want NAP to revert to 64 hours after the 60-day austerity exemption is lifted to prevent any more backlogs.