If you go into politics, you are more likely to wind up a villain than a hero.
— James L. Payne, Ph.D.
HONESTLY, I had no intention of running for office this year, of all years. The incumbents seeking re-election have been in office for almost two or more years now, and what do they have to show for it? Tax hike proposals. They won their seats in 2022, but two years later they’re still attacking and/or blaming their defeated political opponents. Voters know about the misdeeds — alleged or otherwise — of the previous leaders. That’s why they elected new ones. Yet the public is still waiting for the new leaders to explain how exactly they can make things better. Come to think of it, are they trying to make things better? How? Is it working? Besides the federally funded officials and those whose salaries are set by law, who else among the public is having the time of their lives in this economy?
In any case, I’m running for office so there can be one less elected official who talks in generalities and banalities. If elected, I promise not to mention “hope,” “change,” “the future,” “the people,” “our children,” “our children’s children,” “restore trust,” “better times,” a “fresh start,” “transparency,” and other worn out campaign mantras that usually end up meaning nothing after an election.
Instead of talking in public every chance I get, I will try to find specific ways to help improve the tourism industry, the economy, and the government’s revenue collection without burdening businesses, consumers and other taxpayers.
I will oppose any and all tax and fee hikes. They will end up raising prices and costs, further burdening consumers and taxpayers. Tax and fee hikes will also allow the government to fabricate bloated revenue projections and justify its current level of (over)spending that is clearly unsustainable whenever there is an economic downturn. And what happens when they miss, once again, their unrealistic revenue earnings forecasts? The government deficit will grow further, and there will be more unhappy if not litigious government vendors, among other unpleasant consequences.
Instead of mugging taxpayers, I will revisit the 2020 fiscal summit report. I will submit measures to consolidate redundant, duplicative departments, divisions, agencies, offices, bureaus, programs and services. I will propose reducing the number of House and Senate seats.
I will insist on public hearings, committee discussions and committee reports whenever we’re considering any piece of legislation, especially major ones.
I will focus on community work, including regular cleanups, beautification and crime prevention in my precinct. And I will urge my colleagues to do the same. The less time we spend introducing and discussing pointless, if not harmful, legislation (which is probably over 90% of the bills introduced each year), the better it is for our constituents and the CNMI.
The only bills that I will consider supporting are the government’s annual balanced budget measure, and any legislation that will make it easier and/or less expensive to do business in the CNMI.
As for the government’s proposed budget, I will review it page by page, spreadsheet by spreadsheet, line by line, item by item. I will make sure we’re not dealing with a cut-and-paste document. The budget bill should be an updated and actual record of government expenditures and revenue sources. Equally important, members of the public should be able to access a copy of the budget. I want to know exactly what I’m voting for or against, and so do my constituents.
I will also look into all the laws that the Legislature has passed since 1978, and I will identify those that have not been implemented, those whose goals were never met, and those whose existence we have already forgotten.
I will ask MVA, their consultants, and other tourism industry stakeholders to submit their recommendations on improving our tourism numbers. What do most elected officials, other politicians and their advisers know about tourism or the economy? Based on their pronouncements and policy proposals, it seems close to nada. We might get better input from our office mates at the water cooler.
I would rather listen to those who have skin in the game — those whose jobs involve learning as much as possible about tourism, its global and regional trends, the various tourism markets, the marketing efforts of other nations and jurisdictions, and other related subjects. In short, those who would lose money, their businesses or careers if they were wrong.
I will ask U.S. military and other federal officials whether it is realistic to hope that the feds would “offset” the loss of our second largest tourism market, China, by providing us with more direct financial assistance. I would ask them if avoiding or ignoring the China tourism market is what they want us to do in the first place.
I promise not to talk about issues I know nothing about. I will learn about them before I do. I will not grandstand. I will instead listen — truly listen — and study and learn. And I intend to be honest even if it will cost me my seat eventually. I will not overpromise. I will not give you the impression that the government can do anything and everything for you — or that it should.
I will organize economic seminars for government officials and members of the public so we can learn more about basic economic concepts, the workings of a market-based economy, how businesses are created and operate, the costs and challenges they face in the CNMI, and how the government can ease some of their burdens.
Am I saying that incumbent officials are liars? Not really. Most likely, they believed what they were telling you when they were asking for your votes. They wanted their promises to be true. But they’re now realizing — or should now realize — that we cannot legislate away many of the socio-economic problems we’re facing. If that were possible, we would have no problems to speak of. If it could be done, it would have been done already.
N.M.P. That is my platform.
No More Papalatong!
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