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Checks, balances on federal funding necessary
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Posted on Jul 04 2005
The recent passage by the House of House Bill 14-144, overturning Gov. Juan N. Babauta’s veto regarding legislative approval prior to the expenditure of federal funding ensures that there will be checks and balances in terms of the funding being utilized and spent appropriately. To not have a measure in place to prevent the potential indiscriminate use and expenditure of federal funding would allow for the executive branch to have “carte blanche” in making decisions that may not be in the best interests of the entire island community.
Looking in retrospect, the handling and misuse of approximately $4.6 million of federal funding for the failed La Fiesta Mall/Pacific Gateway project is an example of what could happen when checks and balances are not in place and adhered to.
According to the CNMI Constitution, any public debt must be approved by the Legislature. Since there was a bona fide debt established with the failed La Fiesta Mall/Pacific Gateway project—$250,000 for 20 years—and the Legislature was never allowed to scrutinize and either approve or disapprove of the federal funding, then the question is: Was the established debt unconstitutional and therefore not legitimate? For the supporters, who believe that it was constitutional, then the rationale and case substantiating the constitutionality of the debt should be presented in a court of law.
If the Senate should decide to not formally act on following suit with the passage of the House Bill 14-144 and make it a “political football,” then they should be the first to blame for any blatant mishandling of federal monies by the executive branch given to the CNMI.
Since the November 2005 election is approximately 120 days away, then those senators who do not espouse the complete passage of 14-144 and are running for elected office this fall should fully understand the reasons why the electorate decided to not cast their votes for them and retain them as public servants.
Dr. Jesus D. Camacho
Delano, California
