GOVERNOR Ralph DLG Torres on Thursday said he had not received any official communication from the leadership of the House of Representatives regarding its concerns about the retirees’ bonuses.
“I’m hurt because [this] is a priority,” the governor said. “The money is there. They removed my 100% reprogramming authority. Now we have to go back to the recommendation of the Settlement Fund…. The Senate passed the [joint] resolution. All the House needs to do is pass the resolution.”
He added, “If they disagree, which they have, then why don’t they create a resolution. Start in the House and pass it. If it calls for an emergency session, then [so be it]. I’ll be happy to sit here and wait and have the retirees get their bonuses. I think that’s a priority. So again, I urge that [the House] act on it. I don’t benefit from it; it’s the retirees [that do]. For the retirees, this is a great help for the holidays.”
On Facebook, Rep. Edwin K. Propst said the governor wants retirees to blame the House for not adopting Senate Joint Resolution 22-5.
The House leadership said the administration should provide information about the funding source for the retirees’ bonuses.
In a statement on Saturday, Secretary of Finance David DLG Atalig said: “We are neither increasing nor reducing the current budget level. Furthermore, the funds for this retiree bonus will use the budget allocations from the Office of the Governor and the Department of Finance, and not from any other program.”
He added, “Because the governor does not have 100% reprogramming authority, based on the current budget act, we cannot disburse the retiree bonuses. We are simply asking that the governor is given the reprogramming authority to allow our retirees to be paid.”
