House okays FY2000 budget

Barely a month before Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio unveils his budget proposal for FY 2001, the House of Representatives began over the weekend floor deliberation on the current fiscal year’s spending package which stalled last September over differences on how to spread the declining revenues.

On Friday, House members approved the administration’s projected revenue collection for FY 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.

The reduction had made it difficult for the Legislature to distribute the shrinking funds among all departments and agencies, forcing the delay on the passage of the 2000 budget last September.

Under the new leadership of House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial, the Ways and Means Committee made key changes to the budget package by eliminating positions left vacant within 180 days in order to increase funding for essential services, such as education and medical needs of the public.

In its committee report, the panel said they have incorporated request for funding for such programs as scholarship grants for off-island students as well as the plan to address the PCB contamination in Tanapag.

During the House session last Friday, eight other measures were approved, and two key legislation were tossed back to respective committees for further review.

Among the bills passed were:

– HB 12-12, clearing roadways in Chalan Kanoa for public use (heads to the Senate for action);

– HB 12-30, amending existing laws to spare property owners threats of forfeiture in the event of criminal incidents occurring within their properties (Senate action);

– HB 12-62, Deportation Amendment Act (Senate action);

– HB 12-67, Usury Amendment Act to reform antiquated laws in order to avoid multiple rates of interest and to provide for a single maximum rate of interest (Senate action);

– HB 12-74, Board of Parole Amendment Act to increase its membership to seven to break a deadlock in the event of a tie-vote (Senate action);

– HB 12-92, increasing the amount of currency brought into the CNMI for custom declaration from $5,000 to $10,000 (Senate action);

– SB 12-40, providing one year vested service credit in the Retirement Fund for every two years of service on CNMI boards, commissions and municipal councils (Senate action on House amendment);

– SB 12-42, clarifying the duties and limits of liability of the Director of Public Lands (Senate action on House amendment).

SB 12-24, spelling out qualifications of the Attorney General, and SB 12-51, seeking salary adjustment conversion, were referred back to committee for another round of review.

Meanwhile, the visiting Japanese delegation led by Tukuo Yamashita, member of Japan’s Diet, met with the House members to pledge their assistance to the CNMI in boosting economic activities on the island.