The House is scheduled to conduct its session tomorrow, Friday, February 13 @ 1:00pm in the House Chamber. 

The draft agenda is attached. 

We are likely to take up the Governor's veto of the FY 2009 budget bill at the session tomorrow.  A veto override will require the votes of 14 members.  It is likely to be a close vote tomorrow.  Some members are absent, and some are still on the fence.  The Governor's rationale for this latest budget veto was even weaker than the last, but still there are members in the House who are reluctant to support the override.  Overriding the veto will mean stricter controls on government spending -- and especially, on hiring, which continues virtually unchecked, even as the Governor urges for paycuts, shorter work weeks, and ever-decreasing employer contributions to the Retirement Fund.  It will mean cuts in both personnel and operational expenses across all branches of government.  It will mean more stringent reporting and accountability requirements for the Administration. 

Overriding the Governor's veto in order to establish a desperately-needed budget and to control runaway spending will require great political courage.  The Senate demonstrated that courage on Wednesday when they voted 7-2 to override the Governor's veto of the budget.  Now the responsibility falls upon the members of the House to follow suit, and whether there is enough will among us to do what is right by our constituents, even if it is difficult, remains to be seen.

I strongly encourage all concerned citizens to take a few minutes of their time to contact their elected representatives in the House by phone, email, or fax before the session at 1:00pm tomorrow and share their sentiments one way or another on how we should act on the budget.  The phone numbers and emails of the members are attached in this email.      

To override, or not to override?  Public pressure one way or the other can make a tremendous difference in the decision we make in the House.

Thanks very much,

Tina Sablan