2 Sep 2011

CNMI House passes $102M budget

9:56 am on 2 September 2011

The House of Representatives in the Northern Mariana Islands has passed a contentious budget bill for Fiscal Year 2012.

The 102 million US dollar budget bill was passed last night by a vote of 11-8.

Last week the public was warned of a possible government shutdown if the House failed to pass a budget by the start of the new financial year on October the 1st.

Members of the House wrangled over 14 proposed amendments that resulted in five being adopted.

Seven of the nine defeated or withdrawn floor amendments, including one declared "dead" because of a tie, were submitted by minority members.

Representative Edmund Villagomez was the only member absent.

The bill will now be passed onto the Senate.