In an interview last Saturday, Fitial said his administration considers PSS and NMC as essential government agencies.
He noted that the CNMI Constitution requires that PSS gets at least 15 percent of the government’s total revenues.
Fitial said PSS will have a budget that meets that constitutional requirement.
NMC, he added, will be given funds “based on its needs.”
“We have to really analyze their needs. We believe that after a serious analysis and consideration NMC will be getting their fair share of the pie,” the governor said.
NMC requested for a $7.6 million budget, while PSS asked for $36 million.
Citing the government’s financial condition, the administration earlier said that agencies would get less than what they had requested.
In his budget transmittal letter to the presiding officers of the Legislature on Friday, Fitial said his administration will continue to monitor federal initiatives and take full advantage of all available federal financial assistance especially those related to law enforcement programs, health services and additional financial support for our PSS and NMC.
The governor said he expects lawmakers to pass the budget before Oct. 1 to avoid another partial government shutdown.
He said last year’s contentious deliberations that resulted in a partial shutdown should have given everybody a “painful lesson.”
“I respect the Legislature. I will never tell the Legislature what to do now that the proposal is in their hands. I hope that they will pass the budget. I have met my constitutional requirement so now that ball is in their court,” Fitial said,
He believes that there is now a “spirit of cooperation” between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“They have no choice,” he added.
In a separate interview, acting Education Commissioner Richard Waldo noted that 15 percent of the $102 million projected revenue is just a little over $15 million.
PSS, he added, will not survive with that kind of appropriation.
“The parents will go berserk,” he said.
In the current fiscal year, PSS operates on a $31 million budget.
Waldo said he hopes that the administration won’t give them a lower amount in FY 2012, which starts on Oct. 1.
