The federal control board that oversees the finances of Puerto Rico’s government approved a $12.4 billion general fund budget on Thursday for the U.S. territory after legislators failed to approve one amid intense bickering, the Associated Press reported. The board’s version of the budget was rejected last month by Gov. Pedro Pierluisi because it reduced government spending by $100 million. He said at the time that legislators would submit their own version, but the presidents of the island’s Senate and House of Representatives clashed and failed to approve anything before the July 1 deadline. “It’s unfortunate that the legislative process tied to the central government's budget was very controversial and took too long,” Pierluisi said in a statement. He said that lawmakers wasted an opportunity to include things that would be beneficial for Puerto Ricans, noting that while the board included some public policies he had insisted on, “certainly other important ones are missing.” The island's House of Representatives was scheduled to meet Thursday evening to try and approve another version of the budget, but the board already certified its version.
