Legislature asked to work on FY 2000 budget package

Now that the election is over, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday asked lawmakers to buckle down to work and begin deliberation on the fiscal budget to ensure its passage by next month.

The $206 million proposed spending package for FY 2000 needs to be approved before the second quarter of the current fiscal year starts in January, he said.

“I’d like to see the budget passed so that more or less we could control the expenditures of this government,” the governor told reporters in an interview.

Asked whether the stunning defeat of eight incumbent legislators, seven from Republican Party, would affect smooth passage of the budget bill, Tenorio urged the Legislature to tackle unfinished business.

“I have confidence with members of the Legislature, although they were not re-elected, would do their job,” he explained. “They should do what needs to be done on some of the bills that are pending. They should work on them.”

But House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Karl T. Reyes assured the panel will resume budget review within the next few weeks once the House leadership calls for a session.

He underscored the need to have the budget in place for the second quarter to prevent overspending and reduce deficit. At present, the government is running under continuing resolution based on appropriation level during the previous fiscal year.

“It’s important to pass the budget based on whatever amount left after this first quarter so that disbursement will be monitored,” Reyes said in a separate interview.

Finance officials are expected to hand over to the committee a report on the up-to-date disbursement made by the administration beginning October this year for its review.

The Ways and Means chairman, who lost his re-election bid in Precinct 2, promised to review CNMI’s financial conditions, including anticipated revenue collections, to come up with a balanced budget.

He is not certain as to when the committee will go back to the drawing board or when the House will begin its discussion on the budget.

The spending proposal, submitted by Tenorio last April, hit snag in September after lawmakers failed to agree on how to distribute the resources, which were down by two percent over the $210 million budget for FY 99.

Administration officials also had frowned on attempts by the Legislature to change spending level of several departments and agencies in efforts to increase funding for scholarships and medical referral programs.

The governor expressed hope that this time the legislators will realize it is impossible for the government to raise revenues in light of the economic difficulties confronting the island.

“The Legislature is very much aware of how much revenues we received. We have a complete record of our resources, the total taxes and other revenues that we are receiving,” said Tenorio.