Whew!
THE good news is that there’s no bad news even though a typhoon passed by the Marianas. Bolaven did not cause extensive damage. We also appreciate the fact that as the storm barreled toward the islands, local and federal officials provided regular and timely updates while reassuring the public that they were on standby and ready to respond to any emergency situation.
It is likely, however, that the CNMI government incurred additional (i.e., unbudgeted) personnel costs while preparing for and monitoring the storm’s approach. Those costs would have ballooned if Bolaven made a landfall on any of three main islands. FEMA, to be sure, would have provided funding assistance, but through reimbursements, which could take years. With the local economy still in a shambles, the cash-strapped CNMI government would have been more hard pressed to meet its many obligations.
The CNMI may not be as “lucky” when the next typhoon comes along.
Waiting
WHILE CNMI officials wait for the implementation of more U.S. military projects, and the arrival of more tourists (who are not Chinese), what is the Commonwealth government doing to reduce its expenditures? The administration has already announced certain austerity measures. What about the Legislature and the judiciary? And where is the energy conservation directive that the entire government should observe as CUC’s largest delinquent customer?
Moreover, if the administration and the Legislature believe that the retirees’ 25% benefit is “untouchable” (even though it is not required by the settlement agreement), then which other government offices, programs or services should get less funding?
Instead of inflicting punitive “revenue-generating” measures on struggling taxpayers, CNMI officials should find ways to improve the local economy. If they don’t know how, then they should, like the rest of us, live within their means.
Money grab
LAWMAKERS should be more honest and plain speaking when introducing “revenue-generating” measures — a.k.a., taking other people’s money. Consider, for example, the bill to raise the marriage license application fee. The “additional revenue” it would supposedly raise “can be used to improve government resources and services that are intended to improve the well-being and overall livelihood for the people who reside in the CNMI.”
Please.
All of us know, or should know, that any additional revenue the CNMI government can collect will go to its most pressing “commitments,” the first of which is payroll, and then the federal-court-mandated settlement-agreement payments.
As for the proposed tax hike on soft drink and alcoholic beverage containers — it would supposedly “minimize immoderate consumptions of such beverages,” and “provide a deterrence to prevent associated health risks from occurring at a faster rate.”
It would do no such thing. People can simply switch to low-tax alternatives (including home-made or even smuggled beverages) with the same health consequences.
When introducing fee/tax hike measures, lawmakers should simply state that they want to get more money from taxpayers so the government can continue overspending on its many duplicative, redundant and nonessential departments, agencies, offices, programs, services and personnel.
Now that’s transparency.
