In an interview, Benavente, R-Saipan, said it is the governor’s prerogative to reject any of the funding allotted for projects.
The Saipan and Northern Island Legislative Delegation passed House Local Bill 17-33 on Monday. Its funding source is the collection from Saipan’s poker license fees.
Benavente wants funding allotted for the Saipan Fishing Derby, the Neighborhood Watch Task Force and school ground maintenance.
The delegation projected a $3.5 million revenue from 585 poker machines and initially appropriated $3.394 million to create a “comfort zone” of over $100,000.
But because of the 20 amendments offered by lawmakers last Monday, this comfort zone shrunk to $1,000.
Benavente said that if Fitial decides that the delegation appropriated too much and that there would be a reduction in poker revenues, “of course he can line-item veto some of the provisions.”
But the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance program, which will get $3 million of the poker money, is the most important item and should not be touched, he added.
