Initiative endorses abolition of Saipan mayor’s office

A legislative initiative endorsing the abolition of the Saipan Mayor’s Office was prefiled yesterday at the House of Representatives by Rep. Frederick P. Deleon Guerrero, who believes it is not practical to continue the agency’s operation in a place where the central government and its Legislature are located.

House Legislative Initiative 17-6 seeks to amend Article 6 of the CNMI Constitution to abolish the Mayor of Saipan.

In the bill’s findings, it stated that unlike Rota, Tinian, and the Northern Islands, the CNMI government’s central administration is based on Saipan, the capital of the Commonwealth. Deleon Guerrero’s initiative intends to keep the operation of those three other municipalities.

He said it is more practical for the functions of the Mayor of Saipan Office to be administered by the administration or by a department or agency assigned to do so by the administration.

Deleon Guerrero said his proposal is also a result of the present fiscal state of the government, which is experiencing a decline in revenue and collection. The administration expects to earn just $102 million next fiscal year.

“The Commonwealth Legislature finds that the CNMI’s dire economic situation is increasing, causing the government’s revenue collection to drastically decline as well. Austerity measures and other government cuts must be implemented to ensure the continued existence of the government,” the bill stated, adding that it is reasonable to abolish the Saipan Mayor’s Office to save on government costs.

The legislative initiative requires an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members of both House and the Senate before it is placed on the ballot for people’s ratification in the next election.

Saipan Mayor Donald Flores expressed strong opposition to the measure yesterday, citing the assistance and benefits that community members derive from the services rendered by his office.

“Who will do the work for the community? Which agency or department will handle the services for our people? We will strongly oppose it,” Flores told Saipan Tribune yesterday.

He expressed confidence that voters will not support the idea even if the proposed initiative passes both chambers.

Flores, who succeeded Juan B. Tudela in 2009, said his office will send its formal position on the matter to the Legislature once the initiative is formally offered on the floor.

Flores believes the proposal will only be a waste of government funds, contrary to its intent. He did not elaborate, saying he will expound on this in the written comment he will later submit to the Legislature.

In the previous years, some lawmakers had tried to abolish the municipal councils to save on cost but the efforts failed.
The Saipan Mayor’s Office is budgeted at over $900,000 this fiscal year. This is a significant decline from previous appropriations that reached over $2 million.