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House asks Finance to certify resources
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Posted on Jul 04 2005
The House of Representatives wants the administration to certify its projected revenue collections for Fiscal Year 2006 from existing resources to help lawmakers finalize a new budget bill.
House Ways and Means Committee chair Norman S. Palacios said his panel has asked the Department of Finance to submit the certification, which would either set a new budget collection estimate or affirm its previous projection of $206 million in available revenues in FY 2006.
“The committee has identified $206 million as available resources but I have not introduced it. House members want to get a certification first from Finance,” said Palacios.
The lawmaker said his committee has yet to receive a revised budget submission from the Executive Branch.
The administration submitted a $225.8 million proposed budget for FY 2006 on April 1 this year. It can then submit a revised budget proposal on July 1 to reflect any changes in its budget projections.
The $226-million submission contained a $19 million revenue-enhancement package, which includes a proposal to raise the poker licensure fee by $6,000. It also seeks to suspend the appropriation of tobacco funds and local poker fee to boost the General Fund account.
Without these proposals, the government could only generate $206 million, according to the administration.
This is in view of the projected decline in revenue from the garment industry, which is currently undergoing downsizing.
Some lawmakers earlier warned that the administration’s $6,000 proposed poker fee increase would not pass the Legislature.
House majority leader Oscar M. Babauta said the House is more likely to act on a bill that aims to raise the poker fee by $4,000. The bill, he said, is authored by Rep. Clyde Norita.
Further, he said it would be difficult to suspend tobacco and local poker funds because they have already been obligated.
Meantime, Palacios said his panel is still working on a piecemeal “education bill” to guarantee a new budget for the Public School System, Northern Marianas College, and the CNMI Scholarship.
House members earlier expressed support to granting the PSS its entire budget request of $50 million.
