BOE Chairwoman Lucy Blanco-Maratita said the Legislature did not provide funds for the board’s operations in fiscal year 2007.
“The primary purpose of consolidating all members’ surplus funds is to provide additional funds for the chair to carry out her duties and responsibilities as well as attending meetings, including board and committee meetings. It is also to enable our Rota member to be able to attend meetings as well,” Blanco-Maratita said.
She said this is on top of the other expenses such as organizational dues that the board needs to pay.
“The Legislature did not provide funds for the ‘all others’ for the operation and management of the board office for FY 2007, and the FYs ‘08 and ‘09 budgets are still pending,” she said.
The board, she added, has to carry out its functions and duties pursuant to the CNMI Constitution despite the lack of funding from the legislature.
The board allocated $50,000 for its members’ professional development, travel, office operations and others.
Blanco-Maratita said that each elected and non-voting member gets a certain amount for professional development and travel — $8,000 for the elected members and $3,333 for the non-elected members.
The consolidation of their unused funds will be effective in September.
Only $12,582 is left for BOE’s budget for the current fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30.
