It was the first budget in CNMI history enacted in a gubernatorial election year — and despite the governor’s veto.
The last budget bill that became law was enacted in 2006.
The Senate overrode the governor’s veto on Feb. 11.
Yesterday, 14 of the 18 House members present voted in favor of an override — Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan; Vice Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, R-Saipan; Saipan Republican Reps. Heinz S. Hofschneider, Joseph C. Reyes, Ed T. Salas, Rosemond B. Santos, Ramon A. Tebuteb, Ralph DLG. Torres, Ray N. Yumul, Diego T. Benavente, David M. Apatang, Tina Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, Francisco S. Dela Cruz, Covenant-Saipan, and Edwin P. Aldan, Covenant-Tinian.
House Minority Leader Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan; House Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho, R-Saipan; Rep. Victor B. Hocog, Ind.-Rota; and Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, voted against the override.
Reps. Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan, and Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan, were absent.
The two voted against the override last week.
Relieved
The speaker said he was relieved that the House finally garnered the required 14 votes.
“We had another opportunity to make it happen and we did it.”
The House leadership, he added, reminded the members that the CNMI’s accumulated deficit of more than $100 million would further increase without a new budget.
The FY 2007 budget, which was passed three years ago, set a spending level of $163.5 million, but government revenues are now projected to reach only $148 million.
Aldan, one of the members who voted against the override last week, said he decided to support the majority because of the CNMI government’s mounting debts.
“I have to serve our people. If we continue to spend under the continuing resolution, our deficit will keep on increasing,” he said.
Sablan said she’s glad that the House voted in favor of an override.
Salas said he was both happy and surprised by the result of the vote.
“Now, we can move forward,” he said. “Among many reasons, I primarily voted to override because I didn’t want the CNMI to experience another deficit spending in the tune of millions of dollars.”
According to the Department of Finance, the government had already incurred a $4.5 million deficit for the first quarter of FY 2009.
In FY 2008, the government overspent by $10 million and the administration had to use the cover-over funds from the federal government to cover the shortfall.
Salas said that money could have been used for essential programs and services.
Yumul, the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said the FY 2009 budget will ensure that the executive branch won’t be able to hire non-essential personnel amid an economic crisis.
He said the $148 million spending limit is realistic and balanced.
“We need to ensure that we don’t spend beyond $148 million,” he added.
Rep. Ralph DLG. Torres said the Legislature and the administration should now work on the FY 2010 budget.
The administration had yet to comment as of press time last night.
