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Revenue generating bill clears Senate vote, 8-0
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Posted on Apr 30 2008
The Senate approved yesterday a bill that would help the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. pay for fuel.
The bill, which would reverse the October 2007 rollback of power rates, cleared the Senate by an 8-0 vote. Senate President Pete P. Reyes abstained.
The measure will suspend the rollback law up to Dec. 31, 2008, and allow the Public Utilities Commission to issue emergency and interim power rates. It will also ease quorum requirements for PUC, allowing the regulatory board to function with as few as one commissioner.
The proposed law also incorporates fiscal measures backed by the Fitial administration. It would reduce the government contribution rate to the NMI Retirement Fund to 11 percent of the total payroll. This is a significant cut from the 18 percent currently in effect and the 37.4 percent recommended by the Fund’s actuary.
Half of the savings from the reduction will go to CUC’s fuel expenses and $80,000 to PUC’s startup operations. The rest will be used at the governor’s discretion.
Further, the bill would grant the governor unlimited reprogramming power over lapsed funding, re-appropriate some $2.15 million of suspended earmarks to CUC’s fuel expenses, and allow CUC to use half of its customers’ security deposits for fuel.
The bill would also double the fees and charges for services such as driver license, vehicle registration, firearms license, police report, and marriage license.
The Senate previously shelved the bill, but recalled it yesterday after the Senate
Fiscal Affairs Committee held joint talks with House members, administration officials, and the chairwoman of the newly organized Public Utilities Commission.
Esther Fleming, the governor’s special assistant for administration and acting special assistant for management and budget, said the bill has the support of the administration. She said Gov. Benigno R. Fitial is not likely to veto the bill, like he did a similar legislation a few weeks back.
“He will likely approve this. We need it desperately,” Fleming said.
The House of Representatives is expected to tackle the bill in a session this morning.
