Desperate for cash House to dig old records for unused funds

The House Ways and Means Committee will sift through records dating as far back as 1993 to try to find available funds still remaining from the previous appropriation of more than $100 million worth of projects, according to chair Rep. Karl T. Reyes.

Although they have no range yet on the amount of possible left-over money, the legislator expressed optimism the level of funds would be enough to finance various community projects being pitched by House members.

“The more, the better,” Reyes said in an interview. “It’s not easy because we have to go back to old records one by one.”

He stressed, however, the committee could only recommend re-appropriation of fund balances from projects already completed, noting some are still under construction.

“We have to be reasonable as we can only use those funds from completed projects,” Reyes explained, adding badly-needed projects, like water and road pavement, will be the priority if and when the House finds extra funding.

The Ways and Means Committee is looking at financial status of capital improvement projects from 1993 to 1995 costing some $100.2 million which were sourced from both federal and local appropriation.

If the money is there, legislators can only reprogram excess local funds as expenditures of the federal grants are restricted, according to Reyes.

Lawmakers are scrambling for additional funds in an attempt to push pet projects ahead of the midterm elections in November, in which all 18 seats at the House of Representatives are up for grabs, while three Senate seats are also open.

But skeptics believe the chase for money may be an exercise in futility in light of the serious financial crisis besetting the island government for nearly two years.

Reyes defended the committee’s action to review past laws that set aside these CIP funds, saying hopes are high for remaining balance in the coffers.

“Even if it’s paper money and the Finance department has it in their records, the funds could still be there,” he pointed out.

A comprehensive report drawn up by government agencies, led by Finance, is expected to be submitted to the committee before the end of this month to help them determine the financial status.

House members earlier have debated heatedly on a piece of legislation that seeks to re-appropriate more than $90,000 in unspent funds from the Oleai Waterline project into drainage and road paving plans in Precinct III.

Vice Speaker Jesus T. Attao, sponsor of the measure, claimed the money is still available based on the records obtained from Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, which oversaw the completion of the project.

But others said there might be no balance left in the appropriation, citing reports from Finance officials, while there are some members who believe more than $1.3 million have yet been spent, based on the records from public works.