House Local Bill 16-30, which seeks to appropriate unobligated funds from different prior statutes, is now Saipan Local Law 16-9.
House Minority Leader Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan; Saipan Republican Reps. Diego T. Benavente, Ray N. Yumul, Ramon A. Tebuteb, and Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, co-sponsored the bill which was principally authored by Saipan Democrat Justo S. Quitugua.
In his transmittal message to the Legislature, the governor said he opted to use his line-item veto power instead of vetoing the entire measure because the projects are worthwhile and necessary.
“Section 2(D) appropriates $50,000 from the lapsed/unobligated funds under Saipan Local Law 16-1, Section 3(1), but only $47,811 is available. As such, there is a shortage of $2,189.00 for appropriation. Rather than veto the entire bill or the entire section, I am exercising my power under Article 2, Section 7 of the NMI Constitution and making the tough decision of disapproving the item with the smallest appropriation amount,” the governor said.
The line item he vetoed is the bus shelter for Precinct 5 or Kagman.
“[I] encourage the Legislature to find a different source of funding to provide a bus shelter for the schoolchildren before the opening of school-year 2009-2010,” the governor said.
The new appropriation law will finance different infrastructure-related projects around Saipan, including addressing water lines at the Langasat area and power lines extension at the Bwooset Place Area.
It also covers the improvements of power lines at Talafofo and upper As Matuis area.
