Budget approval faces another delay • Defeat of incumbent Republicans may imperil passage of FY 2000 spending package

The $206 million budget proposal may face further delay in the Legislature despite the administration’s call for a speedy passage, according to lawmakers.

Its approval hinges on whether the government identifies other revenue sources to boost the local coffers, said House Speaker Diego T. Benavente, adding that it may even be taken up in the next Legislature when new members are sworn in.

He also indicated a possibility of not passing the proposed package at all, noting that the continuing resolution adopted for the first quarter of the current fiscal year can handle government operations.

“If we don’t identify the additional resources to make it possible to continue the services to the people, then we’ll have to continue with what we have right now and we’re going to let the governor to make the cuts where’s he’s mandated by the Constitution,” said Benavente.

Lawmakers and administration officials failed last September to agree on how to distribute the estimated $206 million revenues for FY 2000, forcing the government to run based on previous year’s spending level.

While Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has called on the Legislature to buckle down to work and pass the budget before yearend, it is not certain whether legislators can meet the deadline owing to the defeat of seven incumbents.

But Benavente said they are hoping to pass the budget and looking forward to a report from the administration about the possibility of upward revenue projections.

“We will continue to make that determination. At some point, I hope the governor may identify other revenue resources so that we meet at least last year’s budget,” he explained.

He added that if the continuing resolution puts the government in a better position in terms of providing public services, then “we are going to leave it at that.”

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Karl T. Reyes, however, expressed hope of completing the budget deliberation, underscoring the need to pass it in order to restrict public spending.

“With an approved budget, it gives more credence to the governor to say that the legislature approved this so that the government has to stay within the limit,” he said.

The spending proposal, submitted by Tenorio last April, is lower than the FY 99 budget of $210 million due to the continuous economic hardship facing the Commonwealth that has pulled down its revenue collections.

Administration officials also had frowned on attempts by the Legislature to change spending level of several departments and agencies in efforts to increase funding for scholarships and medical referral programs.