Variety wondered how CNMI’s 2012 government budget data would compare to the national figures.
For a bird’s-eye view of government spending as a portion of CNMI’s economy, a simple gross domestic product calculation was conducted which indicated that the commonwealth’s spending percentage came in well under “All States” spending and only slightly higher that the U.S. federal number.
As a base, CNMI government workers comprise 5.9 percent of the population, compared to the Federated States of Micronesia at 5.7 and the U.S. mainland at 1.43 percent respectively.
Comparatively speaking, the CNMI number revealed a bloated bureaucracy but that does not provide an accurate larger view as the commonwealth budget does not include personnel of autonomous agencies and those whose salaries are federally funded.
A more meaningful indicator was cost per capita for government workers.
The CNMI came out as the “winner” in the comparison: a full 27 percent cheaper than Kauai in Hawaii and 47 percent less than all U.S. states.
Cost of the elected
But Capital Hill’s cost per person proved to be substantially more expensive than U.S. states and the U.S. Congress.
Representatives are 60 times more expensive, senators 11 times higher and the governor is six-times costlier than their U.S. peers.
The opinions Americans form on the question of government size and cost in the next year will determine, in large part, the result of the 2012 elections for federal, state and local candidates.
Tomorrow: Salaries of elected/appointed officials and department personnel.
