Gov. Ralph DLG Torres yesterday downplayed any riff in Republican Party leadership over House Speaker Ralph Demapan\u2019s (R-Saipan) assertion this week that Torres\u2019 actions to line-item veto amendments to casino law last year were unconstitutional.<\/p>\n
Torres, arriving on island yesterday in the wake of the veto dispute after a trip to Fiji, said he respects the legislative branch of government and Demapan as a speaker. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat is his prerogative and constitutional right to override a governor\u2019s veto,\u201d Torres said, when asked if Demapan\u2019s cry of \u201cunconstitutionality\u201d over his vetoes jeopardized the Republican Party agenda, from Torres, at the Executive Branch, to the House leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical party has nothing to do with it,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd I respect that. That\u2019s the reason why he was here\u201d in a sit-down meeting with Torres yesterday. \u201cWe are able to sit down and talk about leadership, And tomorrow\u2026talk about politics,\u201d Torres added.<\/p>\n
In a session Tuesday, House leaders asserted that Torres line-item vetoes to House Bill 19-95, were \u201cunconstitutional,\u201d on the grounds that Torres mistook the bill as an appropriations bill. To their fellow lawmakers, House leaders laid out options to override the law, now Public Law 19-24, or pose the issue as certified question to the Supreme Court, among others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have my attorneys that give me advice on how to approach certain bills, if not all the bills,\u201d Torres said, on this issue of unconstitutionality.<\/p>\n
Torres added his door was open to discuss \u201cwhat kind of bills are considered appropriation or not\u201d and the courses of action.<\/p>\n
If the House\u2019s contention also involves the vetoed provisions themselves, Torres suggested they introduce a bill that addressed their concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026But we line-item vetoed it for a reason,\u201d Torres also said.<\/p>\n
Last December, Torres vetoed, among others, a casino law amendment to provide for a nonrefundable tax credit to the Saipan casino, Best Sunshine International, Ltd., which would have been applied to their gross revenue tax payout\u2014an amount of $3 million deducted\u2014if they first reached and paid out $20 million in BGRT tax. In essence, this would apply if the casino earned $400 million in any given year. Torres also vetoed a part of the bill that would require legislative approval of a revocation of the Saipan casino\u2019s exclusive license. The provision was disapproved as an \u201cunconstitutional legislative veto,\u201d in conflict with the separation of powers doctrine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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