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Hocog signs Rota bill with line-item veto
Acting governor Victor B. Hocog signed House Local Bill 19-79 that appropriates $330,293.13 for the needs of the Municipality of Rota but vetoed an allocation for two doctors servicing the Rota Health Center. Rota Rep. Glenn L. Maratita authored HLB 19-79, which is now Rota Local Law 19-14.
“Pursuant to my authority under 1 CMC 1405 (b), I have line-item vetoed the appropriation of $30,000 to pay Dr. James Toskas and Dr. Francois Claasens $15,000 each. It is unclear that the appropriations to these individuals serve a compelling public purpose for which funds may be expended,” said Hocog.
“Benefits that accrue to individuals may serve a public purpose if the ‘community has an interest in having those individuals benefitted,’” added Hocog in the letter to Rota Legislative Delegation chair Rep. Glenn L. Maratita and House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan last week.
He said the payments are on top of the compensation paid the two doctors based on their contracts for “administrative leave” that was allegedly agreed to by the former RHC resident director. Hocog added the former director does not have the authority to enter into that kind of agreement with the two doctors.
RLL 18-15 appropriated $2 million that was appropriated to the First Senatorial District under Public Law 18-56. RLL 18-15 appropriated $1,619,706.87 to restore the 25 percent cut made on the pension of retirees and surviving beneficiaries. The $50,000 is payment for the debt the delegation owes the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation.
The remaining $330,293.13 has not yet been appropriated, prompting the delegation to allocate it to the various needs of the Rota municipality.
Except for the $30,000 reserved for the two doctors that was vetoed by Hocog, the money is allotted for medical subsistence of Rota’s hemodialysis and terminally ill patients ($33,500); the cost of transporting Rota patients’ medical specimens from RHC to the Commonwealth Health Center ($10,000);
The Rota Casino Gaming Commission and payment for lodging charges at Paradise Hotel are allotted $20,000 each; $40,000 for the Rota Municipal Scholarship for spring 2017 semester grants; $35,000 for the Rota Mayor’s Office for the procurement of a vehicle; $61,000 for payment of outstanding obligation to Rota employees’ salary adjustments;
The Rota Aging Center will receive $25,000 for an automatic sliding door; $8,000 to update the Chamorro dictionary and to fund non-profit group Inetnut Amot yan Kulturan Natibo’s various programs; $3,009.63 for construction services by JAG; and $44,783.50 for the Rota Mayor’s Office’s operations.
Finance Secretary Larissa Larson, Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig, Rota Aging Program director Valerie Apatang; Isidro Cabrera; the chairpersons of the Rota Municipal Scholarship and Rota Casino Gaming Commission; and RHC director were listed as expenditure authorities.
