Manglona, Ind.-Rota, and Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian, said the Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs will meet today to make “major changes” to the fiscal year 2011 budget bill, H.B. 17-96, which the House of Representatives passed last week.
These changes, Manglona assured, will address the concerns of critical government agencies.
They will have to look at the numbers again, he added.
Manglona said they will also try to find a way to avoid the “drastic impact” of the proposed 20 percent paycut on government employees.
“We know we all need cuts, but let us not do it so drastically,” he added.
Manglona at the same time said the 20 percent paycut was proposed so that the government can pay its employer’s contributions to the Retirement Fund.
“But everything will be on the table, including the Legislature’s discretionary funds,” he said.
Manglona said every member of the Senate is reviewing the budget bill so each of them can come up with ideas to balance the FY 2011 budget.
He said he urged all his colleagues to get involved in the budget measure and gave the fiscal affairs committee 14 days to submit its substitute bill.
“We need to look at the big picture so we can have a balanced budget,” Manglona said.
He welcomes any House member who will work with the Senate on the budget bill.
He believes that despite the government’s limited resources, both chambers can still work together by listening to each other.
For his part, Hofschneider said that although their discretionary funds have been reduced already from what the Constitution provides — from $155,000 to $86,000 a year for each lawmaker — he is personally willing to endure further cuts if necessary.
The House budget bill wants to increase the current amount to $130,000 while imposing cuts on the Public School System, Northern Marianas College, the judiciary and rank and file government employees.
The Senate, Hofschneider said, knows everybody needs to have a cut.
The Senate, he added, supports education and the judiciary.
Saipan Republican Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes and Sen. Ralph DLG Torres said they support reducing the Legislature’s discretionary funds, which are used by lawmakers for their offices’ operations, personnel, supplies and other “miscellaneous expenses.”
On top of the discretionary funds, each lawmaker gets an annual salary of $39,000.
