FORTY years ago, the then-12-year-old Marianas Variety reported that “House of Reps closes, fires 82 employees.” The local economy would take off before the end of the decade, but in 1984 it was still struggling to generate enough revenue to meet the financial obligations of the six-year-old Commonwealth government. These, as usual, included government payroll.
According to MV, the House of Representatives “will remain closed until October 1 (the beginning of the next fiscal year) or until more funds are made available….” Consequently, the House “has fired all its 82 employees,” but the 15 House members “will…continue to receive their $8,000 [worth about $23,000 today] salaries and $13,000 [worth about $38,000 today] in official representation allowances.” In 1984, the House had proposed a budget of $1.9 million (worth about $2.9 million today). The combined budget for both the House and the Senate totaled $4 million — or about $11.8 million today.
Fun fact: The Legislature’s FY 2024 budget amount is $6.7 million, which includes funding for the Legislative Bureau and its 32 employees. The current House members’ salaries total $809,385. That amount divided by 20 (the number of House members) is equal to $40,469.25. As for the current Senate salaries, the total amount is $342,100, which, if divided by nine (the number of senators), is equal to $38,000. These figures do not include the additional allocations of $2.1 million for House members; $100,000 for the House leadership; $945,000 for the senators; and $100,000 for the Senate leadership.
Moreover, the CNMI Constitution states that the Legislature’s budget ceiling “shall be adjusted every two years by the same percentage as the percentage change in the United States Department of Commerce composite price index during the two preceding fiscal years using the beginning of the fiscal year 1996 as the base.” (Source: The CNMI government’s FY 2024 budget or P.L. 23-09.)
Dirty business
One of the House members in 1984 said he was disappointed with the leadership’s decision to adjourn until October 1. He said “some may argue [that] the action [was] necessary to dramatize a problem. ‘I disagree. To cut off the head to cure a headache is hardly a sensible cure. We need to calm the political waters, not to stir up a typhoon.’ ” He quoted another House member as saying, “Politics is dirty business…and we all practice it….” “Yes, our vocation is indeed dirty business and no doubt it will always remain thus, because a large part of political life and action is devoted to achieving political power and to do so under the banner of an immoral and tempting concept, that the end justifies the means…. To most of us, there is no difference between the village basketball court and the House chamber.” He said six years after the inauguration of the Commonwealth government, “we seem to have …regressed as our political differences, wars and vendettas became more vicious and destructive.” He urged his colleagues to “stop the senseless mudslinging.” “We are all guilty as charged,” he added. “Let us try to…shoulder our responsibilities. Let us cease to be back-alley politicians and become sincere lawmakers and truly represent the people.” Variety noted that House member had also visited a Head Start Center in San Antonio to donate 15 gallons of paint and a dining table.
Games politicians play
The lt. governor at the time told reporters that there “really is no need to close the House…. They still have enough funds to continue operating till April 27.” But he said the House should “trim the number of employees and make other sacrifices.” He said the House seemed to be “playing some kind of game” to embarrass the administration. “The Governor and I do not appreciate this,” the lt. governor said, adding that the administration also lacked funds “so why should it give more money to the House?” He added, “We all need to tighten our belts.” As for government operations, the lt. governor said no government employee should be using his or her government position to enrich their own private businesses. He said the administration was also looking into government travel authorizations. He also mentioned 1) the “row” between MPLT and MPLC (DPL’s predecessor), which had reached the court; 2) the increase in traffic incidents and crime; and 3) the water rationing on Saipan that would continue until a better system could come into operation. “Meanwhile we should conserve water,” he said.
Tinian tuna war
Also on MV’s front page in March 1984: “AG wins Round 2 in tuna war.” This issue involved the transshipment of tuna on Tinian, and the health violations and violent crime associated with it. The AG’s office wanted the problem “corrected,” but Tinian officials, including those involved in tuna transshipment, blamed “inaccurate” media reports, “and said crime in Sapan was a more serious and immediate problem.” However, the Department of Public Safety said 80% “of all major crimes in Tinian are linked to tuna crewmen or stevedores,” and the CNMI government had spent $42,000 (worth about $124,000 today) “to combat various crimes at the Tinian dock.” Then-AG Rex Kosack said the tuna industry in Tinian “is on record as having the most continuous negative effect on the environment and the law and [the] situation there.” Tinian police, for their part, acknowledged that “the tuna trade has greatly increased crime on the island. They say there were 20 cases last year, including one homicide. Two cases of assault and battery have already been reported so far this year, they said.” Tinian at the time had seven police officers and two vehicles. A Tinian resident said the tuna trade “has resulted in much pollution and much crime.”
Tuna! Who would have thunk?
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