Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, who introduced Y2K legislation last July, has questioned the need to spend $32 million on a compliance package.
"While I believe that Year 2000 readiness must be a priority, I would need much more information before I could approve expending more than $30 million," Donastorg said.
Donastorg says his research shows that other states have spent far less.
"New Mexico is spending $12 million, Idaho $16 million, Mississippi is spending $19 million, North Dakota just over $2 million," he said.
Gov. Roy L. Schneider has sent the Senate a $32.4 million loan package that he said is urgently needed to prepare the territory's computers for the Year 2000.
Several senators have questioned the cost and terms, and have said Gov.-elect Charles Turnbull should help determine how to resolve the Y2K problem.
Some members of Turnbull's transition team are saying privately that the Y2K problem is even larger than Schneider is painting it and that the $32.4 million may not be sufficient to ready all the government's computers before Jan. 1, 2000.