The FY 2012 budget bill provides $986,037 for the House members’ salary, which is slightly larger than the last fiscal year’s $954,597.
Rep. Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan and chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said the administration’s budget submission does not usually break down the figures for House members’ salary.
But it is the increase in employer contribution and the health insurance that makes the figure in the FY 2012 budget bill higher compared to the last fiscal year, he said.
That is why in the meeting with House legal counsel yesterday morning, he said he suggested that the funding for other benefits or “all others” are indicated in the budget bill.
Rep. Joseph M. Palacios, R-Saipan, said they know that the retirement contribution should be increased by 30 percent. Funding for their health insurance must be raised as well.
Rep. Edmund S. Villagomez, Covenant-Saipan, said the current language of the budget bill gave the impression that they are getting a pay raise.
He said he was surprised yesterday morning to receive so many text messages questioning him about the salary increase which was reported by the Variety.
“All I know is that our take home pay is going to be the same,” he said, adding that he will make a motion to clarify the language in the bill.
“So I don’t blame the news report because the bill really shows a bigger number from last year and it doesn’t indicate what were actually increased,” he added.
Each lawmaker gets an annual salary of $39,300 and $85,000 in discretionary funds. But for FY 2012, their discretionary funds will be $51,500 only.
Rep. Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan, said the leadership is aware that the CNMI Constitution does not allow Legislature members to change their salary right away.
The increase, he added, is for their benefits and not their salary.
He cited Section 10 of the CNMI Constitution’s Article II which states:
“The salary of members may be changed no more than once every four years and only upon the recommendation of an advisory commission established by law to make recommendations concerning the compensation of commonwealth executive, legislative and judicial officers.
“No change in the salary may be made that exceeds the percentage change in an accepted composite price index for the period since the last change. An increase in salary may not apply to the Legislature that enacted it.”
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, said the leadership accounts of the House and Senate must be the same.
The draft FY 2012 budget retains last year’s House leadership account which is $138,000 but reduced that of the Senate to $110,396.
But Basa said the proposed leadership accounts were based on the number of committees in each house. The House of Representatives, he said, has 12 committees compared to the Senate’s 10.
