“Trim those agencies,” he urged.
He said he is disappointed that the House of Representative passed the budget bill that will provide his office $909,587 only for fiscal year 2012, which starts on Oct. 1.
Flores requested for $1,597,097.
The mayor said he merely asked for the retention of their current spending level.
He said they have been adopting cost-cutting measures to maintain the last fiscal year’s budget.
“Now they’re trying to drag the community down with this FY 2012 budget,” he added.
He said the House passed the budget bill without consideration for services the mayor’s office has been providing to the community.
Henry Hofschneider, mayor’s advisor, said they asked the House leadership why they didn’t conduct a hearing on the mayor’s budget.
The Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs chaired by Sen. Jovita M. Taimanao, Ind.-Rota, conducted a budget hearing, he added.
Hofchneider said the Senate is more prepared to deal with budget bill.
The mayor’s office and the governor’s office, he added, also have a good communication relationship.
“We are very thankful to the governor. We communicate openly now,” he said.
Flores said “we will ask the House to follow the Senate’s input.”
One of the vital projects the mayor wants to protect is the cultural exchange program.
The proposed drastic cut of his budget will affect this program, he added.
Flores believes the arrival of hundreds of cultural exchange students have helped promote the CNMI.
“We can’t have this program if they cut our budget drastically,” he said.
