Senate panel approves $206M FY06 budget
The Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs approved yesterday a House concurrent resolution that identifies $206.5 million in available resources for the Commonwealth in fiscal year 2006.
At the same time, the committee, headed by Sen. Joseph Mendiola, expressed intent to take on the task of its House counterpart to come up with a breakdown of FY2006 budget.
Mendiola said the Fiscal Affairs Committee passed House Concurrent Resolution 14-3, which endorses a $206.5 million funding for the next fiscal year.
The committee also intends to take the proposed $50-million piecemeal budget for the Public School System and include it in a comprehensive CNMI budget.
“This is supposed to start from the House. We have been working with them since April 1. But we’re tired of waiting for the House Ways and Means [Committee] to do its job, so we’re just going to do it ourselves,” Mendiola said.
The Saipan Tribune tried to reach House Ways and Means Committee chair Norman Palacios, but he was not available for comments.
While definite cuts would be made on all agencies except for PSS, departments of Public Safety and Public Health, and the Scholarship Fund, the comprehensive budget would give all government agencies a clear idea of the funds available for them the whole year, Mendiola added.
“With a budget, we don’t put any agencies in the dark. If they’re going to get cut, they are going to get cut. As you know, the governor has a power to reprogram funds to whichever agency he wants. With a budget, he can’t just pick any agency and reprogram their funds. This is not good for planning in any agency and it is also very unfair,” said the committee chair.
Mendiola said his panel would finalize the breakdown before the Senate session on Wednesday next week.
Floor leader Paul Manglona said the Senate committee was on the right track.
“I think [Senator Mendiola] has the right idea in moving forward with the comprehensive budget because Public Health and Public Safety need our attention, as well as PSS,” Manglona said.
He also reiterated a call for the House of Representatives to join the Senate in a week of intensive sessions to pass an FY 2006 budget.
The government has been operating on a $213 million continuing resolution since 2003.
