Legislators, gov’t hold budget talks • Provision granting reprogramming power to mayors worries Teno

Lawmakers and administration officials are still holding talks on the FY 2000 budget package approved recently by the Legislature in hopes to bridge differences before the deadline expires for Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio’s signature.

A meeting is scheduled to be held today between House leaders and Mike S. Sablan, special advisor for finance and budget, and Edward S. Tenorio, special assistant for management and budget, to further discuss a possible compromise.

The governor earlier has expressed concern over some administrative provisions of the budget bill that legislators passed last May 11, but he did not provide details.

Administration sources, however, disclosed that a provision granting authority to the mayors of Rota and Tinian to reprogram lapsed funds in their respective municipalities is a major concern for the governor.

There is no agreement yet on how both the administration and the Legislature will address such concern, but House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta expressed optimism that a deal will be reached before the deadline.

Mr. Tenorio has until June 5 to act on the budget. Under the law, he has 20 days upon transmittal to sign or veto the appropriation measure.

“We are still trying to come to an agreement. But we are hopeful that we will have the budget ready in the next few days,” Mr. Babauta said in an interview.

The lawmaker also said that there will be no major changes on the proposal that the Legislature approved since the administration has accepted most of the appropriations. 

The $211 million spending level sets aside the biggest share to critical agencies and programs, such as the Public School System, the Departments of Public Health and Public Safety as well as the scholarship and medical referral programs.

But $4 million of government utilities payment have been wiped off to meet the funding requirement for Tinian and Rota which each will get $15 million budget for the current fiscal year — the same level approved in FY 99.

Some $700,000 have also been allotted for the CNMI’s lobbying campaign in Washington D.C., although Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes has asked the governor not to sole-source the contract as it could lead to more expenditures for the island government for such activities.

The government has been running under continuing resolution from previous year’s budget level of $216 million since the Legislature failed to approve the package last September as provided under the Constitution.

Deliberation on next year’s budget of $226 million is expected to begin in the next few weeks and hopefully pass it before FY 2001 starts on October 1.