‘Non-essential items’ in 2000 budget face Senate ax

Citing the need to cut spending on non-essential services, the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee is expected to keep a close watch over government expenditures proposed under FY 2000 budget in an effort to increase funding for scholarship and medical referral programs.

Its chair, Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, said he would thoroughly check the items in the spending package submitted by the administration in order to eliminate those that are not critical in the delivery of public services.

These will include acquisition and upgrading of computer hardware, housing allowance of government employees, office lease and rental payment, among others.

“Clearly there are some questionable priorities,” Reyes said in an interview. “I don’t want anybody telling me that there is no money. We have $206 million,” he said.

There is no estimate yet as to how much can be generated from slashing the funding level for these non-essential services, although the senator said this will be sufficient to accommodate the needs of students and medical patients.

“The Senate will find the money,” said Reyes, noting there are a lot of possible sources to generate funds for these critical programs of the government.

Reyes earlier had pressed for the immediate closure of the CNMI’s liaison office in Manila and reprogram its budget for the scholarship program which has been cut by more than half over its appropriation in FY 1999.

He also vowed to eliminate almost half-a-million dollars in funding sought by the Department of Finance for computer purchases for this fiscal year to provide for educational assistance of both off-island and Northern Marianas College students as well as for medical referrals.

Since the FY 2000 budget is expected to be passed by the Legislature by yearend, Reyes expressed hope that the administration is not spending money for these items.

Under the continuing resolution adopted in the absence of an approved budget, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has greater flexibility to manage available resources and provide for immediate needs of departments and agencies so long as they do not overshoot actual revenue collections.

“I hope that there’s cooperation from the departments,” said Reyes, adding that the Senate will be “closely looking into the budget” once the House of Representatives approves it.

Last September, the House Ways and Means Committee, which was tasked to review the proposed spending package submitted by the governor last April, failed to come up with recommendations on how to distribute the $206.7 million projected revenues among government offices.

That amount represents a 2 percent decline in FY 99 revised budget of $210 million, and several agencies, including public schools, police and hospital, have asked lawmakers for bigger share despite the shrinking local coffers.