Special legislative
session needless,
Cayetano says

He also is reiterating his
opposition to across-the-board

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

Gov. Ben Cayetano says he doesn't approve of a Senate-passed bill that calls for a special legislative session in July to again consider budget and tax issues that lawmakers are already confronting.

He also reiterated opposition to a Senate measure calling for unspecified across-the-board salary cuts of all state employees, but he stopped short of saying he would veto the bill if it also won House approval.

The Senate advanced both bills to the House yesterday.

Since Senate leaders fear that the state Council on Revenues will once more lower its tax revenue forecast when it meets in late May, they believe it is prudent to be ready to convene a special session.

But Cayetano saw that as being reactive and not showing a willingness to make hard decisions.

If the work on balancing the budget and revitalizing the sluggish economy can't be completed during the regular session, "we should extend the session rather than wait for a forecast and come back later," Cayetano said.

"I think that we can't be jumping every time the Council on Revenues comes up with a forecast every three months. We need to come up with a plan and act upon it."

On the Senate's salary reduction measure, which administration attorneys see as unconstitutional, Cayetano said it is inappropriate at this stage to discuss whether he would veto it.

Another provision in the bill, providing what could in some instances be very generous severance pay to government workers who are laid off, was not embraced by Cayetano.

"I don't think it's appropriate for us to even think about severance pay, given the situation we have today," Cayetano asserted.

Under the Senate bill, a laid-off state worker with at least 15 years of consecutive service could get as much as 36 weeks of pay and one year of health and life insurance.

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Capitol Roundup

A calendar of tomorrow's hearings -- to be held at the state Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St., unless noted:

HOUSE

Health: Hearing on resolutions requesting study on viability of including chiropractic coverage under various insurance policies and to study the cost-effectiveness of direct access to dermatologists in managed care plans. Decision-making to follow, 8:30 a.m., Room 329.

Education/Higher Education: Hearing on resolutions requesting reports of the status of efforts to promote fairness and equity for Filipino-Americans and the Department of Education in cooperation with Department of Health to establish a sun protection policy for elementary schoolchildren and to study the feasibility and cost of requiring school children to wear protective sunscreen headgear. Decision-making to follow, 2 p.m., Room 329.

House session: Voting on state budget, 11:30 a.m. Broadcast live on Oceanic Channel 53 and TCI Cable 23.

SENATE

None scheduled.