![\"Law](\"http:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Budget-pix1.jpg\")
<\/a>That meeting was packed with over 50 personnel from the departments of Corrections and Public Safety. Law enforcement personnel filled the Senate chamber\u2019s gallery and lined up seats in the Senate lobby room, forming a unified presence as lawmakers announced the results of the weekend\u2019s negotiations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we set a record of conference committee attendance this morning,\u201d remarked Rep. Antonio Sablan (Ind-Saipan), House budget chair.<\/p>\n
Sablan said the question on everyone\u2019s minds yesterday morning was if the 5-percent salary adjustments were in the compromise proposal that morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe answer is yes,\u201d Sablan said.<\/p>\n
When it is adopted, the Senate and House representatives will present a budget to Inos that directs MVA to modify its budget programs to the tune of $2.5 million. These program cuts\u2014from Inos-directed earmarks\u2014will make up for the shortfall of funds left after Senate provisions move appropriated money to fund salary increases and adjustments, among other provisions.<\/p>\n
Inos earlier called these proposed directives an \u201cinvasion\u201d of MVA programs, but it\u2019s wait-and-see if he will line-item veto these provisions in the final budget.<\/p>\n
If Inos does, House representatives will still have gotten their way in protecting a Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. utility subsidy that the Senate first proposed to move to fund their provisions. The Senate had argued the utility money would be still there \u201cbottom-line\u201d after directing MVA earmarks to fund the shortfall.<\/p>\n
But as the House maintained that this money could not be touched, the Senate and House presented yesterday a compromise proposal restoring the $2 million utility subsidy back into the general appropriations bill.<\/p>\n
The compromise proposal, according to an Excel worksheet provided to reporters after the meeting, restores $2 million in CHC funds taken out in the Senate provisions and restores $75,759 in Northern Marianas Sports Association funds taken out by the Senate.<\/p>\n
To make up for this $2 million, the worksheet identifies \u201cover-allocations\u201d that were trimmed or zeroed out from appropriations. These are:<\/p>\n
– $286,000 from \u201cvarious business units\u201d;<\/p>\n
– $89,385 for salary increases that lawmakers deemed unnecessary;<\/p>\n
– $58,197 from the Department of Agriculture-Saipan;<\/p>\n
– $477,969 for 20 new full time positions for DPS;<\/p>\n
– $534,557 for street lights remaining in the budget;<\/p>\n
– $444,437 in \u201cover-allocation\u201d to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.; and<\/p>\n
– $200,000 from the Saipan Mayor\u2019s Office<\/p>\n
But the compromise proposal directs MVA to fund $200,000 for the Saipan Mayor Office\u2019s \u201ctourist-related activities\u201d to the tune of $200,000, essentially making up this budget cut.<\/p>\n
In total, the MVA programs\u2019 budget of $12 million from hotel tax earmarks would be deducted $200,000 for the Saipan mayor; $1.8 million for public streetlights; $200,000 Saipan airport x-ray machines; $225,000 for Saipan seaport x-ray machine; and $75,000 for seaport scanners.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear right now how these cuts will affect MVA\u2019s programs throughout fiscal year 2016, or if MVA will be forced to halt any of their events. The MVA promotes the CNMI\u2019s only industry, tourism, through events like the Taste of Marianas.<\/p>\n
When the budget conferees formally adopted the compromise \u201cworksheet\u201d and recessed their morning session, the crowd of law enforcement personnel applauded.<\/p>\n
As this developed, Inos and Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres gave Cabinet members marching orders to prepare for a potential government shutdown some eight days away.<\/p>\n
Press secretary Ivan Blanco said Inos informed his department heads to \u201cdefine what positions are essential and what are not\u201d in preparing for the shutdown.<\/p>\n
Administration officials said yesterday that Inos has concerns about what the Legislature means by \u201claw enforcement,\u201d saying the government shutdown would be more imminent without these clarifications in administrative positions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that there seems to be some degree of controversy why some of the lawmakers [were pushing] for [the law enforcers\u2019] pay raises now,\u201d said DPS Commissioner James Deleon Guerrero after the budget session. \u201cThe reality of the situation is, that was not the highlight of our request, even though it was initially included. There are number of requests the department submitted. It is really a priority\u2026of the Legislature after hearing our justifications that salary should be made their priority as opposed to the other things we were requesting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are nonetheless grateful. It is a step in the right direction. I think every law enforcement officer in the CNMI will feel a little better that they are getting\u201d pay increases since 2001, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at the salaries of police officers, and look at the employees of salaries in autonomous agencies or the degree of the disparity\u2014I think it\u2019s time we start looking, not just at law enforcement but other professionals out there and public servants that will require salary adjustments as we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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