Key gov’t agencies may get additional funding

Last-minute changes are being made on the Fiscal Year 2000 budget that is expected to clear the House of Representatives today, the last day of the first regular session, according to members.

House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta said they expect to increase funding for key agencies, such as the Public School System, the Northern Marianas College, police and public health under the budget proposal drafted by the Ways and Means Committee.

Leftover funds not indicated in the package submitted by the Tenorio administration last year will be funneled to the budget of these agencies, he said.

Likewise, the committee has also corrected some figures for several agencies to match with the records of the Department of Finance.

“The committee followed the personnel costs on the actual payout to the employees, not necessarily what they have previously requested. They used the actual payroll cost summary provided by [DOF],” Mr. Babauta told reporters.

The House is pressed to pass the FY 2000 budget on the last day of its 30-day regular session so that the Senate can start its review of the proposal. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio is set to unveil his new budget proposal for the next fiscal year before the end of April.

This year’s budget has stalled in the lower house due to failure to reach a consensus on how to distribute the $207 million proposed appropriation by the governor. The government is currently running under continuing resolution based on FY 99 spending limit.

House members have approved the administration’s projected revenue collection for the fiscal year ending September 2000 at $211.1 million, of which $4.2 million will be set aside strictly for public lands’ use.

About $204.6 million are expected to be generated from taxes, while $2.4 million will come from the nonresident workers’ fees. The estimated $207 million available cash resources are appropriated to various departments and agencies for their budget.

This amount represents a 1.5 percent decline from FY 99 collection of $210 million which in turn was actually much lower than the $240 million initially projected by the Tenorio administration.

Meanwhile, in a 13-4 vote, the House passed legislation amending the PSS Capital Improvement Projects Appropriation Act of 1999 which will set aside $10.54 million for construction of two new high schools on Saipan.

Approved by the Board of Education late last year, the plan calls for the construction of the first school in Koblerville, and another in Kagman, to help ease overcrowding at the Marianas High School.

The money came from the $16 million proceeds of the PSS bond flotation which matched federal construction grants under the Covenant 702 program.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Brigida Ichihara, chair of the Education Committee, who said BOE will be left with the decision to how to expend the money.

Some House members, however, opposed the bill as it would limit the funding to two new schools which is not enough to accomplish the BOE goal. It now heads to the Senate for action before the governor can sign it into law.