But no agreement was reached for FY 2011 when revenues are projected to drop from $150.5 million to $137 million.
The government must come up with a new budget for FY2011 or its operations will shut down as required by a recently ratified constitutional amendment.
Rep. Sylvestre I. Iguel, Covenant-Saipan and one of the 12 members of Ways and Means, said the panel agreed to endorse the passage of House Bill 17-22 or the Austerity Holidays and Unpaid Legal Holidays Act of 2010.
The committee, which Rep. Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan, chairs agreed to an eight-hour reduction per payroll which will cover both civil service and contractual employees in the public sector.
“It’s 72 hours with no exemption,” Iguel told the Variety.
Public sector employees earlier challenged their elected lawmakers to share their burden.
Iguel agrees.
“My position is that everybody should take part in this pay cut whether or not their salaries are constitutionally protected.
Some people are getting paid just $15,000 annually while others are getting over $100,000. Those who are getting paid so high should get the cut first,” he said.
He said he will volunteer to have a pay cut or reduced legislative funding to show his sympathy with the public sector employees.
Asked about their plan for FY 2011 which starts on Oct. 1, 2010, Iguel said they want to deal first with FY 2010.
Sources said the austerity measures for FY 2011 may be “more severe.”
H.B. 17-22 calls for the closure of public offices every other Friday and the nonpayment of some legal holidays.
The CNMI ended FY 2009 in the red with a $17 million deficit mainly due to personnel and medical referral payments.
