Dear people of the Commonwealth,

More and more we are beginning to realize that our declining economy, failing public services, and deteriorating social and natural environment stem from years of misgovernance: unstable policies, unaccountable leadership, weak law enforcement, a lack of transparency, and a culture of fear and complacency among our people.

Misgovernance is so profoundly ingrained in our community that some of us have difficulty imagining that the affairs of government can be conducted in any other way. But we must imagine a different way, and we must all be involved in realizing that vision if we hope to survive the present crisis and build for ourselves and for future generations a more prosperous and sustainable quality of life.

If we are guided by a clear vision for where we want to be in the future, the path for getting there opens up. Change is more than just a goal; it is a process. And there is no reason to delay beginning that process now, so that everything we do in the short-term will be part of the process for realizing the goals we have set for the long-term.

I am running for office because I want to help improve governance in our Commonwealth. Good governance to me means open and honest government, empowered citizens, a free and vigilant press, and a healthy economy that is sustainably intertwined with a thriving natural environment.

On Tuesday, October 30 I held a press conference to share my short-term and long-term goals for better governance in our community. The video from that press conference is available at www.tinasablan.com/forum ; these goals are also described in this letter.

Increasing transparency in the Legislature: first 100 days in office

If elected into the House of Representatives, I would begin the effort to improve governance in the Commonwealth by implementing at least these three measures to increase transparency in the Legislature within 100 days of assuming office:

1. I will hold the first of what will be a series of quarterly “State of the Legislature” forums to provide the public with information and insights gained from working within the Legislature. These forums will include updates on bills that have been introduced, amended, repealed, and enacted into law, reflections on discussions that took place in committee and in session, and my own positions. There will also be opportunity for questions and comments.
2. Until the Open Government Act fully applies to the Legislature, I will issue public notices and agendas for every regular, special, or rescheduled meeting as soon as that information is available. At a minimum, these notices and agendas will be posted online and distributed through email. I am aware that because the Open Government Act does not currently apply to the Legislature, meetings are frequently called at the last minute and agendas are subject to change. I will provide the most updated information that I have, and will include the number of times that meetings and agendas were changed before the notice was issued.
3. I will hold press conferences at least once a week when the Legislature is in session. All of my colleagues in the Legislature will be invited to participate each time.

Two-year goals for reforming the Legislature

I am also committed to taking the following steps to reform the Legislature within two years:

1. Strengthening the Open Government Act and fully applying it to the Legislature;
2. Improving the official website for the Legislature to make it more informative. The website should include, at a minimum, meeting notices and agendas, legislative journals, committee reports, all introduced bills, all public laws enacted, voting records of all members of the Legislature, contact information for all legislators, and budgets for each legislator and for the Legislative Bureau; and
3. Proposing six initiatives to amend the Constitution, to be placed on the ballot in 2009. These initiatives will aim to restructure the Legislature by:
   • Reducing the number of representatives in the House from 20 to 14;
   • Reducing the size of the Senate from 9 to 6 members;
   • Requiring the smallest possible House of Representatives from reapportionment plans;
   • Cutting the maximum budgets allotted to each representative and senator by at least 50%;
   • Requiring that no law may be enacted that necessitates an expenditure of funds without also being accompanied by an appropriation of funds; and
   • Creating a part-time legislature.

The initiatives pertaining to the number of representatives and senators and to the reapportionment requirements will be especially important to place on the ballot in 2009 because a new reapportionment plan is due after the next census in 2010.

All six initiatives will be introduced as legislative initiatives, and signatures will be simultaneously gathered from the people of the Commonwealth to build public awareness and support, and to prepare for the possible necessity of launching popular initiatives if legislative initiatives are stalled in committee.

Other two-year goals

In addition to measures to reform the Legislature, I will also push for follow-through on worthy efforts that have already been initiated, including a desk audit of the entire Commonwealth government, a restructuring of the management of our public hospital, an investigation of the management of public lands, an evaluation of the Commonwealth’s tax collection, finance, and procurement policies and procedures, and oversight hearings for CUC.

In reviewing proposed budgets and developing appropriation and revenue bills with my colleagues, I will prioritize the basic needs of the community. These basic needs include infrastructure, healthcare, education, public safety, environmental quality, and economic opportunity. I will call on my colleagues throughout the government to do the same, and I will call on citizens to participate in the process of identifying the proper responses to those needs. I will also request information and assistance from federal agencies whenever necessary.

Long-term goals (2009 and beyond)

Improving governance in the Commonwealth will truly be a long-term effort, and I am committed to that effort regardless of the 2007 election results. In addition to the reform measures I have mentioned, here are some goals for improving governance beyond 2009:

1. Recruiting new and visionary candidates to step forward in the 2009 election and beyond;
2. Formulating a plan for reorganizing the Commonwealth government utilizing information received from desk audits, public hearings, and other public forums; and
3. Launching a new political organization that will continue to push for better governance and a healthier and more sustainable course of development for our Commonwealth.

Final thoughts on governance

Good governance begins with our citizens. It begins with all of us asking questions of ourselves and of our leaders. It begins with all of us caring enough about this community to get involved in the work of rebuilding it. Citizen involvement means we educate ourselves on the issues, we express our ideas freely and honestly, and we take action in any civic-minded way that we choose — volunteer for a cause, engage in direct protest, run for office, participate in public forums, and vote according to our conscience.

Good governance also depends on our leaders, the people we empower to represent us in government. We need leaders who put the best interests of the Commonwealth above everything else, who are not only concerned about the needs of the present, but who possess a vision for the future and a commitment for getting there. We need leaders who understand that a healthy democracy depends on transparent and accountable government and on citizens having maximum access to information and ample opportunities to get involved.

And because accurate information and transparency are so essential to a healthy democracy, good governance depends on a free and vigilant press. We need the media to ask tough questions of all our leaders, to probe relentlessly if the questions aren’t answered, and to disseminate information that will educate and empower citizens.

If we determinedly take on the fundamental problem of misgovernance that has plagued our Commonwealth all these years, things will get better — slowly perhaps, but they will get better nonetheless. Over time, public services and infrastructure will improve, businesses will begin to thrive, investors will develop greater confidence in the CNMI, and our credibility and relations with the federal government will gradually be restored. New leaders and inspired citizens will continue to push the Commonwealth forward, and many of our people who have left the islands will see that they have a stronger and more livable home to which they can return.

We will realize the fruits of our labor, not only in the improved quality of our lives, but also in the vision and spirit of citizenship that we pass on to our children.

Tina Sablan

www.tinasablan.com