Overspending

Reportedly, the CNMI has “overspent” its recent fiscal year’s budget by as much as $8 million. Appalling how this was overlooked after overspending a couple million dollars.

Perhaps we could get rid of high-tech calculators and begin anew using our 10 fingers. A pencil with a huge eraser and handkerchief for our runny nose ought to do the job.

Budgetary protocol requires supplementary funding request when the original amount is insufficient. It’s all a matter of timely communication. It’s still taxpayers’ money that requires accountability!

Moreover, the focus ought to shift to investments to generate additional revenue to meet expanding needs. This is the realistic answer in concert with prudent spending. It must be done constructively and proactively too!

Revisit

The issue brings forth the pertinent query: has our economy expanded, stagnated or gone south and do we understand its implications? Have we reset buttons to revisit investments for revenue generation purposes? If not, what’s the realistic answer beyond complacency?

Understood the annual budgetary exercise where reasonable projections and allocations are made after thorough review. Unfortunately, more often than not earmarked expenses often overwhelm what’s in our bank account. Not going to make any bones about it for it happens! Dealt with it before while still in government.

But there’s a secret to solvency in perpetuity. I’ll let you guess it while staring at it right here and now!

Politics

I see both political parties are organizing to present planks on the campaign trail this election year. The incumbent GOP must answer any and all questions about its performance.

Vicious and testy political theatrics has begun and the Dems aren’t giving the incumbent GOP any breathing room as shown in the recent hyperbolic exchange, an indication it’s ready to flex its muscles.

Has the incumbent done anything to upgrade the poverty income level of nearly 15-thousand employees or “not yet, already?”

The answer is obvious the question is why the obvious inaction? It’s the heaviest issue the GOP must answer forthwith specifically, why did it skip it altogether? Negligence? It’s good to see if the GOP could render reasoned articulation on this and other collateral issues.

Trade

“The re-establishment of trade relations between our country and China may well be a window of opportunity for our inclusion that would spur more economic growth here,” according to Sen. Terry Santos.

“The proximity of the islands makes it a natural venue for more stateside business ventures to consider establishing here to deal efficiently with China’s proximity,” she said. “Moreover, the market is not more than a day away by ship or less than four hours by air”, Santos noted.

“The China market is huge and even beyond our comprehension but an opportunity for island leadership to converge and ponder how do we deal with it moving forward”, she said. “It’s wide open opportunity for economic growth for the islands be it on transient traded goods or on island investment.” The issue requires proactive organization!

Thematic

The word “impeachment” has turned thematically redundant even with proof that Trump didn’t violate the U.S. Constitution nor did he commit high crime on his own.

So Trump is convicted of political animus while Dems look around for a crime to fit it. Has American jurisprudence changed in recent past where one could be convicted without the commission and conviction of a crime? But it’s all a collective effort to prevent a Trump reelection!

On the islands, it’s the budgetary term “shortfall” that seems a popular term. It’s when money managers find there’s less in the coffers than projected. It means some serious cuts are in order and we can begin by downsizing the legislature to a unicameral nine-member body. Resolve?

Then turn right around and cut the number of government employees to skeletal level. It’s a prudent move that would ensure more funds are available for worthy programs that benefit taxpayers. As it is everybody is boss with coffee cup in hand refusing to work to serve taxpayers who pay their loot! Dalai!

Rebuilding

Obviously, a lot of money had gone to rebuilding after Yutu’s destruction of the islands late last year. In the process, money managers had to guard scarce funds to ensure there’s enough for our collective needs. Dedication!

Destruction from natural disaster is a hardship unto itself. Moreover, rebuilding is a tough cookie diverting funds already earmarked for a given purpose to begin anew. It taxes what little we have in the treasury including our half-exhausted energy.