Teno, legislators hold talks to save budget bill

As deadline nears for Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to act on the FY 2000 budget bill, he is set to meet today with members of the Legislature in hopes to reach a compromise that will address his concerns on several provisions of the measure.

“We want to discuss some of the issues that concern us,” he told reporters yesterday. He, however, declined to comment whether he would veto the entire proposal or reject those provisions he considers questionable.

House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta expressed optimism over an agreement with the governor, noting that today’s meeting is really intended to come into a settlement following differences between what the administration has proposed and what the Legislature has approved.

He said that there are some “vital” administrative provisions that both the House and the Senate incorporated on the budget act, which are the major cause of concern by the governor rather than the itemized appropriations they have passed.

“That is more minor than what is incorporated in the language of the budget,” Mr. Babauta told in an interview yesterday. “By [today], we should have an indication whether or not the governor will proceed with item veto or veto the entire budget.”

House members, led by Mr. Babauta and Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Antonio M. Camacho, have been holding budget talks with administration officials, particularly the governor’s special advisor on finance and budget Mike S. Sablan and Office and Management and Budget Director Ed S. Tenorio.

The governor has until June 5 to act on the budget. Under the law, he has 20 days upon transmittal to sign or veto the appropriation measure.

The $211 million spending level sets aside the biggest share to critical agencies and programs, such as the Public School System, the Departments of Public Health and Public Safety as well as the scholarship and medical referral programs.

But $4 million of government utilities payment have been wiped off to meet the funding requirement for Tinian and Rota which each will get $15 million budget for the current fiscal year — the same level approved in FY 99.

Some $700,000 have also been allotted for the CNMI’s lobbying campaign in Washington D.C., although Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes has asked the governor not to sole-source the contract as it could lead to more expenditures for the island government for such activities.

The government has been running under continuing resolution from previous year’s budget level of $216 million since the Legislature failed to approve the package last September as provided under the Constitution.