It appears that he considers the budget process as yet another way to settle scores with “unfriendly” officials, like the chief justice or the education commissioner. But this is not the way to run a government.
The salaries of judges, justices and lawmakers are constitutionally fixed and are exempt from budget cuts, period. If the judiciary and Legislature wish to “share the pain” they, and not the governor, can make administrative cuts.
In an attempt to show the public that lawmakers “care,” the Senate president has introduced a legislative initiative to include constitutionally protected salaries from cuts. This is commendable, but the proposal still has to be passed by the Legislature — by a 3/4 vote of each house — and then placed on the ballot…in Nov. 2012. There is, however, a bigger and more meaningful gesture that lawmakers from Tinian and Rota can make now. They could forego their “stipend,” which isn’t permitted by the Constitution anyway.
Regardless of his motive — it’s clearly all about the Saipan casino proposal — the House speaker is correct to insist an end to this costly practice. The Senate, to be sure, made a concession to austerity by reducing the Rota and Tinian members’ allowance to $4,200 from $5,000 a month. But this means that each senator from Tinian and Rota is receiving an additional $50,400 per year over and above their constitutionally prescribed salary.
Multiply $50,400 by six and you get $302,400.
The senators responded to the speaker’s call for cuts by reminding him that it is none of his business. But it is his business. It is taxpayer business. Technically, the Legislature is in session for, at most, 120 days a year and the rest of the time it is at rest. Moreover, the funding required to pay for this government’s extravagance is long gone. The party’s over. Lawmakers must now be in the forefront of finding ways to cut costs, including theirs.
For their part, citizens who have had enough of their officials’ mind-boggling refusal to accept financial reality should seriously consider an initiative petition for a part-time Legislature. True, the CNMI government is like nature, which abhors a vacuum. It will probably squander the savings on a hiring spree for other offices, but think of the legislative flip-flops the commonwealth would be spared if it has a part-time Legislature.
Several years ago, to cite an example, in response to the complaints of constituents regarding the hike in automobile accidents, related injuries and fatalities, the Legislature passed a driver’s education bill to ensure that everyone in this diverse community would know the rules of the road. Now, in response to the complaints of constituents regarding the costs involved, senators want to repeal the law outright and to saddle the Public School System with an additional responsibility. This covers students but not adults who migrate here and who may even be first time drivers as many are. PSS, moreover, is struggling to recruit enough qualified teachers for math, science and English and is not even adequately funded by the CNMI government.
And what of the business that is providing the service mandated by the driver’s education law? By lawmakers’ calculation it is plain tough luck, but they also want new investors to do business in the commonwealth.
Which business would or could brave these fickle changes in laws and policies? Very very few, is the answer.
…and an elected AG
THERE are problems at the Attorney General’s Office. When there is a wholesale exodus from any government agency it usually is an unmistakable signal that something is awry. Nine attorneys have resigned since his appointment, but the AG says it’s business as usual at his office.
What kind of business?
The AGO must be objective in the execution of its constitutional duties. Otherwise lives and legal processes are at risk. But constitutional duties cannot be the main consideration of a political appointee, and therein lies the problem.
As an executive, the governor, of course, must have access to legal advice that is sensitive and sympathetic to the political nature of his job. That is why he has a legal counsel. This governor, however, considers the AGO as a mere extension of his office and yet another tool to use for his political needs.
To protect the commonwealth, its people and the rule of law, the AGO must be transformed into an independent agency. It is time to have an elected AG and it is up to the CNMI’s concerned citizens to make this happen through the initiative process.
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