By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

THE House Ways and Means Committee will begin reviewing the administration’s proposed budget revision for fiscal year 2007 that will reduce spending in all government agencies by nearly 16 percent.
Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan, instructed the committee chaired by Rep. Crispin M. Ogo, Covenant-Rota, to study the “distribution” of the budget cut.
From $193.5 million, the budget is to be cut to $163 million.
Based on the Department of Finance’s revised budget submission, the judicial branch’s 2nd quarter allotment of $1.08 million will be reduced to $905,684.
The legislative branch’s 2nd quarter allotment of $1.881 million will be reduced to $1.535 million.
The Washington Representative’s Office’s budget this quarter will be reduced by $28,486 to $278,395 from $319,264.
Agencies under the Office of the Governor which are budgeted this quarter for $2.875 million will experience a budget cut of $286,477 for a new atotal of $2.534 million.
Other government agencies will also get a 5.2 percent budget cut this quarter.
Babauta said they expect objections from some government agencies, but added that there is nothing much they can do given the worsening economic crisis.
In his transmittal letter to the Legislature, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said he wants the revised budget approved as soon as possible “to ensure continued essential services for the remainder of the fiscal year.”