Legislators reach compromise on FY 2000 budget • $4-M allocated for CUC bills diverted to Tinian, Rota
A joint Senate-House committee tackling the FY 2000 budget proposal agreed yesterday to appropriate the $4 million earlier earmarked for government utilities payment for the funding requirements of Rota and Tinian during the current fiscal year.
Senators also consented to a proposal from the House of Representatives to allocate about $700,000 from government cash resources to finance a lobbying campaign in Washington D.C.
These measures were part of the compromise reached on Tinian during a bicameral conference on the much-delayed budget bill. A final proposal is expected to be approved by Monday, leading to approval of the 2000 spending package by both houses.
Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chair Sen. Edward U. Maratita, Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes and Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano hammered out the plan with their House counterparts, Ways and Means Committee Chair Antonio Camacho, Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta and Rep. Malua T. Peter.
The meeting, the first to be held by the Legislature on the budget on the heels of differences on how to distribute the estimated $211 million in revenues this year, went well, according to Mr. Adriano.
He said changes to administrative provisions, like allowing that lapses from Rota and Tinian budget be reprogrammed by the governor, are included in the compromise agreement.
To ensure that utilities payment will be met this year, Mr. Adriano said lawmakers will insist that surplus funds from the spending package will strictly be used for such purpose.
In approving the budget passed last March by the lower house, the Senate shifted the $4 million budget for Rota and Tinian to make their appropriation level at par with what the Legislature set aside during the FY 1999 package.
Each of the island municipalities was given allotment of over $15 million last year, but the amount dropped to $13 million due to the 13.4 percent cut imposed by the Tenorio administration in late 1998.
Although the budget bill will likely pass the Legislature, it is not certain whether Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio will sign it into law. CUC officials have opposed the cut on utilities payment in view of the government’s mounting debt which has reached over $11 million since last year.
The 2000 budget has derailed since September due to disagreement among lawmakers, forcing the government to run under continuing resolution reflecting appropriation the previous year.
Last April 1, the governor submitted his FY 2001 proposal amounting to $220 million, which the Legislature will soon tackle before the current fiscal year ends in Sept. 30.
