Mariur said the expected $15 million shortfall is accumulation of deficits from previous years.
In 2008, the shortfall was already at $9 million and another $5 million by 2009 and this will further go up by end of 2010.
Mariur said the government will control its spending to way within the budget and avoid accumulation of deficits.
Sen. Surangel Whipps Jr. in an interview said that the 2009 budget, the projections for local revenues were $5. 3 million more than what was actually collected.
He also noted that 2010 budget projections for local revenues are $1.5 million short for the first six months and could increase to $3 million by year end.
He projected that this could translate to $8 million added on the deficit in just two years.
In the latest State of the Republic Address delivered by President Johnson Toribiongthat local revenues were laggingbut that it is only less than $10,000 behind the projected collections.
However, Whipps said that the statement was “wrong” because Mariur, who appeared before Congress during budget deliberations submitted his mid-year report ending March 31, showing that the local revenues were just 46 percent of the 50 percent expected, thus a $1.5 million shortfall.
Mariur said times are still hard and at the same time expressed disappointment on the supplemental budget because government services are now short of money.
He said that the sewer system’s proposed budget has been cut by $500,000.
He said the supplemental budget reduced the Executive Branch’s budget but increased the Congress budget by $293,000.
Mariur also noted that the unpaid obligations of the government to vendors and services have been fluctuating from $8 million to $12 million.
