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Bill identifies funds for govt, CUC operations
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Posted on Apr 24 2008
A new bill has been introduced to help the government deal with its projected budget shortfall and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. with its fuel purchases.
The House bill, cosponsored by Speaker Arnold I. Palacios and Rep. Heinz Hofschneider, would grant the governor unlimited power to reprogram lapsed funds to cover the budget shortfall.
It would double government fees for driver’s license, vehicle registration, firearms license, fingerprinting, police report, safety stickers, copies of any public records from the Department of Public Safety, and marriage license.
Help would also come the way of the cash-strapped utility.
Under the bill, some $2.15 million in earmarked non-general fund revenue will be appropriated to CUC for its fuel payments.
CUC would be allowed to use up to 50 percent of the security deposit paid by residential customers, again so the utility can buy fuel. But CUC must return the security deposit funds within three years.
Further, the government contribution rate to the NMI Retirement Fund would be reduced from 18 percent to 11 percent of the total payroll, and half of the savings will go to CUC’s fuel expenses; $80,000 will go to the Public Utilities Commission for its start up costs and operating expenses for the current fiscal year. The governor may reprogram the balance.
Some of these provisions were included in the austerity bill the Fitial administration had lobbied the Legislature to pass, and then subsequently vetoed due to amendments added by lawmakers.
But the new bill, with its specific instructions on where the money should go, reflects the lawmakers’ oft repeated statement that they will not give a “blank check” to the governor.
