Rota, Tinian senators’ subsistence allowance up

Subsistence allowance for Rota and Tinian senators has been increased from $4,250 to $5,000 a month, while public comments will now be entertained right after approval of journal at the beginning of every Senate session rather than in the middle of it.

These were among the approved changes in the Senate interim rules and are now part of the “Official Rules of the Senate for the 18th Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature” adopted only yesterday—barely six months before the end of the 18th Senate.

By a vote of 8-0, senators adopted Senate Vice President Victor B. Hocog’s (R-Rota) Senate Resolution 18-30. Absent from yesterday’s session was Sen. Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota).

Rota and Tinian senators’ monthly subsistence allowance had been a thorny issue during previous Legislatures, as the government grapples with limited funds to provide critical public services.

But one of the senators said yesterday it was “not an increase, we are just bringing it back to $5,000 similar to past Legislatures.” The senator said the $750 difference also came from the operational account and they are just bringing it to the subsistence allowance to deal with “inconveniences” caused by lack of regular flights and the limited charter flights available. The senator said it is inconvenient to seek Finance authorization every time there is a sudden change in flight schedule, among other things.

At yesterday’s session, senators present skipped discussion on the increased subsistence allowance on pages 33 and 34. Some said they saw the resolution in its final form only yesterday.

Under the adopted Senate rules, a senator from Rota or Tinian who is an officer of the Senate or a chair or vice chair of a Senate committee may specify and use a portion of the funds under the member’s individual office account as an allowance of “$5,000” per month to defray the costs of food, lodging, and other incidental expenses incurred by attending to legislative business in the CNMI but outside the member’s senatorial district. That figure used to be $4,250.

A senator who is not an officer or a vice chair of a committee may use on a per diem basis $175 to defray the cost of food, lodging, transportation, and other incidental expenses incurred by attending to legislative business in the CNMI but outside the member’s senatorial district—provided that the total sum of all covered expenses in any given month does not exceed $5,000. It used to be “not more than $4,250.”

Two of three senators from Saipan—Senate floor leader Ray Yumul (Ind-Saipan) and Sen. Pete Reyes (Ind-Saipan)—confirmed that they do not get a penny out of subsistence allowance. Senate President Ralph Torres (Ind-Saipan) couldn’t be reached for comment.

Moreover, at the House of Representatives, the members from Tinian and Rota have a subsistence allowance of up to $4,000 only. One of them, Rep. Trenton Conner (Ind-Tinian), said he usually requests only $3,000.

The monthly subsistence allowance is on top of certain lawmakers’ constitutionally capped monthly salary and other benefits.

SOCA, confirmations

By an 8-0 vote, the Senate adopted yesterday House Joint Resolution 18-17, calling for a joint session of the Legislature to accept the governor’s State of the Commonwealth Address on June 30 at 10am at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

Senators also confirmed Gov. Eloy S. Inos’ re-appointments of Barrie C. Toves to serve on the Commonwealth Ports Authority board of directors representing Rota, and Eric Plinske to serve on the Civil Service Commission representing Saipan.