Although the House of Representatives is expected to pass H.B. 17-130, or the Commonwealth Casino Act, this week, it may not be transmitted to the Senate right away because its author, Rep. Stanley T. Torres, Ind.-Saipan, has a new plan.
During a conversation with Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan; Reps. Joseph M. Palacios, R-Saipan; Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan, and this reporter, Torres said he may have to push for the legalization of a Saipan casino through a legislative initiative.
He noted that two similar proposals in the past were rejected by Saipan voters — the first was in 1979, when the law passed by the Legislature over the governor’s veto was repealed through an initiative petition; and the second was in 2007, when majority of the island’s voters said “no” to a casino initiative petition.
Torres said his gambling proposal is for the entire CNMI so he is confident the voters will look at it differently.
Allowing the people to decide on it, he added, will be “stronger and faster” because they may call for a special election this November.
The ballot may also include the proposals to 1) make the attorney general an elected official; 2) transform the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. into an entity owned by the indigenous people; and 3) reduce the number of Saipan House members from 18 to nine.
Cabrera said he also wants the people to decide on the casino issue and so he will vote in favor of the legislative initiative that Torres will introduce in the House.
Rep. Joseph M. Palacios believes that in light of the payless paydays and delays in the release of scholarship checks, more voters will support the legalization of a Saipan casino.
He also noted that some of those opposed to the Saipan Casino are silent about poker arcades which, he added, have caused many social problems over the years.
A former poker machine enforcement officer, Palacios said not all poker arcade operators are paying the right amount of taxes owed to the government because they can manipulate the machines so it will reflect “very low income levels.”
The new casino proposal will have a gaming commission that will ensure the collection of the right amount of revenue, he added.
Moreover, he said, it will put all poker machines in one place so it will eliminate problems in the villages.
“We need to jump on this now because Guam may get at it first and if they do, then, it will be too late for us,” he added.
Rep. Raymond D. Palacios said his family members were against a Saipan casino, but they have a change of heart considering the economic situation of the island.
“Right now, we are all suffering. One way to help our government earn money is a casino. But we should let the people decide,” he said.
