Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, said Friday that the banking industry, for example, has been paying low fees despite the huge business transactions they make.
A commercial bank currently pays only $500 a year for its business license.
He said this should be increased to at least $3,000.
Tenorio at the same time said FY 2010 budget bill will include the Fitial administration’s austerity measures.
“We are thinking of cutting [government] workers’ salaries by 10 percent across the board,” he said.
The House Ways and Means Committee, he added, is now finalizing the budget bill.
The committee chairman, Rep. Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan, is done consulting with different government agencies regarding their budgets.
“Basically, he’s finished listening to all departments,” Tenorio said. “We may be able to identify additional revenues.”
Once this is done, the committee will confer with Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, the speaker said.
The Fitial administration recommended a $150.5 million budget for FY 2010 which began on Oct. 1, 2009.
This figure includes the austerity holidays or the forced closure of public offices every other Friday to reduce government salaries by at least 10 percent.
A legislative act is needed to enforce the austerity holidays that include civil service employees.
Without a new budget, the government continues to operate under the $148.5 million ceiling set by the FY 2009 general appropriations measure.
The House will hold its first regular session on Thursday, Jan. 28, starting at 10 a.m. on Capital Hill.
