SPEAKER Heinz S. Hosfchneider has asked Saipan senators to join the House of Representatives in the formulation of the budget for fiscal year 2003 before they move for its passage.
During yesterday’s session of the Saipan and Northern Islands legislative delegation, Hofschneider asked Sens. Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, Thomas P. Villagomez, R-Saipan and Ramon S. Guerrero, American Reform-Saipan, “to work with the House on the passage of the budget.”
Previously, the Senate acted on the budget after it was passed by the House.
The speaker said this new “method” will help ensure that there will be a budget in the next fiscal year. The last time a budget bill became law was in 1998.
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, and Vice President Jose M. Dela Cruz, D-Tinian, welcomed the idea.
They dismissed the notion that non-Saipan senators would be “prejudiced” because Hofschneider only asked for the Saipan senators’ involvement in the budget formulation.
“That’s okay for me. That’s a delegation concern and I think it’s healthy,” said Manglona.
“The speaker meant well. And I don’t think he meant that only Saipan senators will be involved in the budget formulation. Of course, he will also be expecting cooperation from senators of the two other islands,” said Dela Cruz.
He said Villagomez is a member of the Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs which Dela Cruz chairs, thus “I expect that our communication with the House in terms of budget concerns will be well-coordinated.”
