“It will affect the services we provide to the community,” said Palacios, Covenant-Saipan.
The new fiscal year begins on Wednesday, but the House of Representatives has yet to pass a new budget. Finance Secretary Eloy Inos earlier said that even if lawmakers would not pass an FY 2009 budget, spending levels must reflect actual revenue collections. The current budget amounts to $163.5 million, which is nearly $7 million more than the administration’s proposal for FY 2009 — $156.7 million.
“People who write letters to the editors are not aware that a lawmaker’s job is not just about introducing and passing bills,” Palacios said. “Our constituents also expect us to help with their day to day concerns.”
In Precinct 2, the Chalan Kanoa/Susupe area which he represents, these “concerns” include fixing basketball courts, cleanups and cutting the bushes on street corners, installing traffic signs near schools — on top of the other requests for assistance such as jobs and even cash in cases of “personal emergencies.”
“Right now I’m following up on [the Department of Public Works] regarding the potholes in Chalan Kanoa and I’m also asking [the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] to install streetlights on streets that are too dark in the evening,” Palacios said. “There are a lot of concerns in the community and I’ve to address them all — I’ve to contact the agencies that can help.”
DPW, he said, has been “consistently helpful — CUC not so much.”
On Talaya Ave. in Susupe, he added, CUC dug up two areas that connect to Sulo and Bakke Streets for some water-related projects.
“Although CUC did cover the hole back, they left a big gap/trench behind,” Palacios said. “This results in vehicles having to transfer or swerve to the other lane, a scenario where a collision or accident — if the situation is not addressed — is bound to happen. According to neighbors, they have witnessed ‘near misses’ from time to time.”
He added, “The trench itself is a traffic obstacle as motorists either have to wait for an on-coming car or speed up to avoid it. This practice will, sooner or later, have consequences.”
Palacios said he first asked CUC’s water division to fix the problem three months ago.
“I do a lot of other follow ups in response to a constituent’s request,” he added. “I also help businesses in the areas whenever they have problems with their permit applications — I’m pro-business; we all have to be pro-business. I try to mediate in land disputes between neighbors and I’m still helping out with sports. I’m still the statistician for the baseball games in the community. We do a lot everyday for the people who put us in office — how can you say ‘no’ to your constituents who need your help? We have sworn to serve them.”
With the looming budget cuts, however, the freshman lawmaker said he may have to “release” one or two of his three community workers.
“They don’t get paid a lot but they help me out in delivering services to community and they also have families to feed — so this budget cut will be a big dilemma for us,” he added.
