Wednesday, October 3, 2007
CHECK OUT THE MARIANAS VARIETY VERSION
THE House of Representatives overrode Governor Benigno R. Fitial’s veto of six bills yesterday with some lawmakers saying their action was fueled by community discontent with the administration’s unpopular policies. The vote was 16 in favor of overriding House Bills 246, 277 and 244. Rep. Crispin M. Ogo, Covenant-Rota, and Rep. Absalon Waki Jr., Covenant-Saipan, were absent.H.B. 15-246 is a measure designed to cap at 17.6 cents per kilowatt hour the cost of electricity sold to residential customers for the first 1,000 kwh of energy they use.Fitial vetoed the measure saying it discriminates against commercial and government customers and may further destabilize the financial condition of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. But some residents who were in the gallery said CUC’s current power rates are too much to bear given the islands’ worsening economic crisis.The price of electricity has doubled since July 2006.H.B. 15-277 seeks to allow class 1 members in the NMI Retirement Fund to withdraw their contributions from the local pension system even if they have been vested for up to 15 years.Right now, the Fund prohibits members from withdrawing their contributions if they have been in the system for more than 10 years.Fitial said he vetoed H.B. 15-277 because it will affect the solvency of the financially troubled pension system.“The existing 10-year period for withdrawal is sufficient and fair for members who are considering whether or not to withdraw their contributions. Approval of the 15-year period will decrease the investment capital of the Fund, and further risk the ability of the Fund to continue to meet its obligation of caring for the commonwealth’s retirees and their families,” he said in his veto message to the Legislature. Likewise, the House overrode by 15 votes Senate Bill 15-89, a measure sponsored by Senate Vice President Pete P. Reyes, Ind.-Saipan, seeking to offer job protection to private and public sector employees who volunteer up to two months of their time for disaster relief. House Floor Leader Florencio De Leon Guerrero, D-Saipan, voted no on the motion to override S.B. 15-89.The vetos of House Bill 15-277 and House Bill 15-53, were overridden by 14 votes. H.B. 15-53 seeks to give US contractors preference in federally funded projects under $500,000.H.B. 15-244 seeks to grant residential customers up to a year to settle their arrears with CUC. The veto on H.B. 15-229-a measure to clarify some ambiguous provisions in the Chamorro-Carolinian Language policy was also overridden.House Minority Leader Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, said lawmakers want to ease the public’s burdens, particularly those related to utility rates.“It seems that everybody is discontented with the way things are,” said Palacios. “The Legislature is just expressing the people’s sentiment.”Press Secretary Charles Reyes Jr. said the administration is asking the Legislature not to politicize things at CUC.The Senate is expected to override the same bills when it convenes today on Rota.“We ask the Senate to vote responsibly on those CUC bills in view of existing economic facts and the financial condition of our government in terms of our inability to subsidize CUC operations. We cannot afford it. Leadership requires that we resist irresponsible political pressures and respect financial and economic realities,” said Reyes. “We believe we had substantial and compelling justification for rejecting these bills and we ask the Senate to carefully consider the Governor’s reasoning when they vote on the bills,” he added.
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FLASH BACK 2006
CONSUMERS OPINION ON CUC
WHAT IS RISING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY
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