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Rota, Tinian budget still at over $4M each
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Posted on Mar 25 2012
The Fitial administration is still proposing over $4 million each for Rota and Tinian for fiscal year 2013, even as some members of the House leadership want the governor to give these two islands only the amount they generate, which is some $2 million a year.
Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos, who oversees government finances, said as far as the Fitial administration is concerned, the Rota and Tinian budget will remain almost the same as in the previous fiscal year because they are still looking at a $102 million CNMI budget for operations.
The administration has less than a week to submit its fiscal year 2013 budget to the Legislature.
Inos said the administration will beat the April 1 deadline, as it always does.
“We’re on the final balancing stage. We are still bringing it down to $102 million. Right now it’s about $112 million,” he said. This means the administration has to further trim the budget requests by $10 million.
Rep. Froilan Tenorio (Cov-Saipan) and other members of the House leadership still disappointed with the Senate’s rejection of a House bill legalizing casino gaming on Saipan, have been considering cutting Rota and Tinian’s budget equivalent to the amount they generate. But Inos said this is “pushing a bit too hard,” and called on elected leaders to work together instead of working against each other.
House Ways and Means Committee chair Ray Basa (Cov-Saipan) said if it is the will of the majority to cut Rota and Tinian budget, then he will support it.
Basa, however, said the Legislature could also cut its budget in fiscal year 2013 and give more to other programs. The areas where they could cut, he said, are the leadership budget and the lawmakers’ discretionary or operational account.
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said any proposal to cut Rota and Tinian budgets is an attempt to bring back “the politics of the past” wherein leaders from Saipan, Tinian and Rota fight with each other.
“I hope people can see past this and work toward unity,” he added.
