In an interview, Yumul, R-Saipan, said House Bill 17-199 will generate more than $3 million for the CNMI government and he is confident it will help restore timely payroll and the 80 working hours of government employees.
The bill imposes a $6.50 charge on each airline passenger, a $5 document charge for those with cargo, and $25 on consignees for “consolidated consignments” of cargo.
H.B. 17-199 authorizes the Commonwealth Ports Authority, the Division of Customs and the Division of Agriculture too collect these fees.
U.S. military aircraft and vessels passengers, cargoes, and others that are normally not subject to Customs and Agriculture inspection, will not be charged.
Those who will fail to pay the fees in 30 days will be charged interest.
Yumul said over the years, the Department of Finance and the Department of Lands and Natural Resources have been inspecting goods coming and leaving the CNMI. This activity, he said, can no longer be paid solely by CNMI taxpayers through general appropriations alone.
He noted that Customs and Agriculture spent a total of $3 million a year in this operation, not including the almost half a million dollars for overtime pay.
Customs, he added, processes about 3,000 to 4,000 documents a month.
The lack of income from these operations, Yumul said, makes it difficult for the two agencies to buy supplies for their operations.
