IN the summer of 1984, the CNMI Senate was broke. A year before it was…bankrupt. Variety reported in July 1983 that “if no new money is appropriated or reprogrammed from other sources, the Legislature’s Upper House may have to close its doors and lay off staff within two weeks, according to government sources.” But “[d]espite the money crunch, six Senate staffers just left on a three-week trip to Syracuse, New York to learn how to ‘draft legislation’ at a cost of $25,000 [worth over $76,000 today] in plane tickets, per diem, land transportation and training costs, a reliable source said. The latest Senate staff trip comes on the heels of another expensive trip made by [a] senator…and three staff members, [who included his brother]. The four men reportedly attended a conference at Harvard University.”
The Senate’s budget at the time was $1.4 million (worth about $4.28 million today), an increase of 91% over the 1981 budget of $734,816 (worth about $2.25 million today).
In the current fiscal year, the Senate budget amounts to $1.35 million.
In an editorial, Variety said if prominent officials “have reason to suspect foul play and political pay-offs [that involve the Personnel Office], then the government should…look into the matter…. Political bonds…seem to supersede real caring for what goes on in the government…. [A]n investigation into Personnel policies should be conducted.”
For its part, the Department of Education — the Public School System’s predecessor — said it needed $6.6 million (worth $20.21 million today) for its annual budget. Otherwise, the DOE superintendent said the public schools would not be able to carry out their educational responsibility. (In the current fiscal year budget, PSS has been allotted $25.95 million.)
Variety’s front-page headline on July 22, 1983: “Senate Gets Last Paycheck.” The Senate president blamed “excessive hiring practices and high salaries.” He also noted that some of the senators had already withdrawn their salaries and representation allowance in advance, and would not be affected by the layoffs. He said there were eight Senate employees who were getting $36,000 (worth about $110,000 today) or more. He also said that it was hard to get rid of so many “political appointees.”
At the administration building, the governor told the media that the government was “experiencing a shortfall” of up to $3 million — worth about $9.1 million today. The governor said he had “issued a freeze on expenditures,” including “all new and replacement hiring, all wage and salary increase and ‘all other’ expenditures.” He said he would not allow the government to operate beyond its means, and that it was “trying to live within the resources we have.” The main reason for the shortfall, he added, was the $1.6 million “in back utility bills” owed by the Trust Territory government. Moreover, the governor said the fuel costs to operate the power plants “will be $8 million [worth $23.3 million today]…, although only $6 million [worth $18.2 million today] was appropriated in the current budget.”
A year after the implementation of the food stamp program in the CNMI, Variety asked its readers if they believed that food stamps had helped the islands. “I’m sure it helps,” a community member said. “Also people get so used to it that they don’t want to work anymore. Some just stay home and wait for…food stamps. It’s not bad but some might get overweight and stiff muscles.” Another said: “If I am a recipient, I won’t work to earn money. I can survive and get very strong with right foods for exercising.”
In an editorial regarding the then-speaker’s plan to add a 15th member to the House of Representatives, Variety stated that “[o]n top of the $21,000 [worth over $63,000 today] salary and official representation monies that the representatives are given, adding one member would cost thousands more in support staff, additional paperwork and office space. Given past experience, more government will only mean a less efficient government.”
In the first week of Aug. 1983, the speaker said the House “may miss paydays” unless more money was appropriated to it by the governor. The speaker said the shortfall was “not a reflection of mismanagement” because “this is not our fault.” The culprit, he said, was the budget cuts that were implemented due to lack of funds. The House speaker said the governor had “saved” the Senate from a payless payday. Hence, the speaker was hopeful that the governor would “save” the House from the same fate.
In other old news, an alcohol information program was launched on island for people convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol. According to Variety, four people a week, on average, “are sentenced to attend alcohol information school.” DUI “is becoming a problem of major proportions…. 90% of all crimes committed in the island are alcohol related…. [O]ver 90% of…traffic fatalities are due to drunk driving. Of the fifteen deaths from traffic accidents that occurred in 1980-1982, fourteen…were caused by drunk drivers.”
Meanwhile, a statesider who had “witnessed the popularity of the dance-to-music sessions in California” brought the concept to the island, and called it “Now or Never.” The hour-long exercise class had “drawn crowds of up to 50 women on occasion.” It was a “new…way to fitness with the accent on fun. Exercise routines are set to top-40 hits and include both aerobic and stretching exercises.” One of the participants was the newly elected president of the local Soroptimists, “who has lost 20 pounds since joining the class in May.” The cost of each session? One dollar, which is worth about $3 today.
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