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Attao pushes for $11M appropriation for WGI, retro pay
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Posted on May 08 2005
Saipan congressman Jesus Attao is calling for a conference committee on the bill that appropriates funds for within-grade increase, retroactive pay, and medical and healthcare.
This after the House rejected over a week ago the senate amendments that were made to House Bill 14-304, which he earlier introduced.
Attao, in an interview, said that he would push for the approval of the original bill, which is to appropriate $10.9 million for fiscal year 2005 to raise government employees’ salary, pay off retroactive compensation as well as retirement and health insurance contribution.
The bill originally wanted to source the money from the additional revenues identified by the Babauta administration for FY 2005.
The Senate, however, amended the bill to increase the amount to $20 million, and instead of tapping government revenues, the senate moved to authorize the Commonwealth Development Authority to borrow the needed amount.
The Senate inserted $9 million for the reimbursement of the Saipan and Northern Island local delegation, which had allowed the use of its funds to settle the retroactive pay of Saipan government employees.
“I appreciate the amendments made by the Senate but the problem is the CDA involvement. So we have to meet in a conference committee to iron this out,” said Attao.
He said the CDA would not agree to such an arrangement because it is a debt to be incurred for government operations.
“This is for operations. CDA won’t allow this,” he said.
Attao said he is determined to reintroduce his bill in case of failure in the conference committee.
“I’ll go back to my original bill. I believe that $10.9 million can be accommodated in FY 05,” he said.
Under Attao’s bill, Rota employees would get a total of $1.9 million: $224,163 for frozen steps, $1.04 million for retropay, and $702,933 for WGI; Tinian personnel would receive $1.5 million: $316,990 for frozen steps, $904,157 for retropay, and $344,971 for WGI; and Saipan employees would have $5.03 million: $1.6 million for frozen steps and $3.5 million for WGI.
The bill also wants to give $2.4 million for government employees’ retirement, Medicare, and health insurance contribution.
