House poised to ax changes to 2000 budget

The House of Representatives is set to hold a special session today to reject amendment made by the Senate to the FY 2000 budget proposal, a move that is expected to bring the issue to bicameral table in an effort to reach a compromise between the two chambers.

The session, scheduled at 11:00 a.m., is the first since the lower house adjourned its first regular session in late March and follows passage of the budget bill by senators last April 6.

Approved last month by House members with several changes, the proposed spending package for the current fiscal year was amended extensively by the upper chamber to increase funding for Rota and Tinian municipalities as well as some key government programs.

The Senate shifted cash resources of the government by wiping off all the $4 million set aside by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio for payment of government utilities as well as to cut funds from other independent programs in order to hike the budget of some agencies as well as those for scholarships and medical referral programs.

Already delayed for more than six months, the budget bill appropriates the $211.1 million estimated revenues for FY 2000 to all departments and agencies, including the $4.2 million income from land leases earmarked strictly for use by the Division of Public Lands.

The House had altered the proposal submitted in April 1999 by the governor to increase share of public schools, police and the hospital, and the Legislature.

But the Senate, not satisfied with the changes, further amended the legislation. For instance, proposed appropriations for Rota and Tinian went up to maintain the level approved during FY 99 before the budget was cut by over 13 percent. Both island municipalities now have a budget of a little more than $15 million each, up by an average of $2 million from what the House approved.

Moreover, under the Senate version, the Department of Public Safety received additional half-a-million dollars to cover overtime and hazards pay for police and fire officers, as did the courts with about $200,000.

The scholarship program, which had been provided by the House with additional $1.5 million to bring up its share to $3.8 million, got another $400,000. The medical referral program’s budget was also hiked.

Others receiving increases included the Washington Representative’s office, Saipan Mayor’s office and the Public School System, while those with downward appropriation were the Legislature and Office of the Governor, among other departments and agencies.

The new proposal also reinstated payment for the 30 percent retirement bonus given to government workers amounting to $100,000 as well as annual leave lumpsum payment totaling $218,000.

These provisions in the budget have to be approved by the House before the governor can sign it into law. But because of the looming rejection, lawmakers will have to conduct a joint meeting to come up with a proposal acceptable to both parties.